


Textbooks and Novels

by ScarletEyes



Series: Sanders Sides Bookstore AU [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Airplane Crash, Airplane Crashes, Bookstore AU, College AU, Coming Out, Dorks in Love, Homophobia, Logan has a girlfriend, Logicality Bookstore, Maybe - Freeform, Multi, Platonic Prinxiety - Freeform, Sanders Sides - Freeform, Uncle Remy, baby Virgil, both car and airplane chrashes, car crash, her name is Estrella, logicality - Freeform, mentions of car crash, oh boy, story starts in 1998, uncle Patton
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2019-07-07 18:05:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15913482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletEyes/pseuds/ScarletEyes
Summary: What is this? A prequel to ‘Thrillers and Fairytales’????!!!! Whaaaaat???Would recommend you to read that fic first as this one does contain major spoilers for that one! But both stories could be read separately as well.What happend before Logicality bookstore opened his doors?What struggles did Logan and Patton have to face during college and after? You’ll read it here!





	1. It’s time!

The year is 1998, or MCMXCVIII in Roman (;-P) numerals. Aah the ‘90s years of baggy clothes, lots of denim, butterfly hair clips and some leftover plateau shoes here and there. 1998 was Also the second year of college for the two main characters of this story.

Logan Mitchell and Patton Sanders were sitting in their shared dorm room. One trying to get some work done, the other anxiously waiting on a phone call. 

Patton was a 20 year old business major, who really didn’t care about his study subject to much, but really wanted to open his own bookstore, to help support his six years older sister Nikki, who was a writer of youth literature, or youth novelist, but Patton preferred the first title. He wanted to sell her books and get as many people he could to read them. 

Logan was a double major in mathematics and biochemical engineering. He cared very much about his studies as it was a way for him to get away from his stressful life at home. His dad was an important public figure, which put a lot of pressure on Logan to ‘fit the perfect picture’. Luckily studying had always been something he was good at. He had even skipped a year in high school, which left him one year younger than his roommate, who, at the moment, was constantly moving around and humming idiotic songs, not being able to keep his excited, but nervous energy internalized.

A phone rang, but it was not the phone Patton was hoping for. The landline still eerily quiet as Logan’s Hypermodern Nokia cellphone (that could even play snake!) rang on his desk. Patton already knew who was calling Logan, by the way his hands twitched over the ‘accept call’ button, and was glad she hadn’t called the landline, because she could talk for hours! She was one of the only people who could shut Logan up and listen to something that was not a lecture. Her name was Estrella Lacey, or Ella for short and she was Logan’s girlfriend. 

Logan knew that if he accepted the call now, he probably wouldn’t get much more work done this afternoon, then again his roommate’s constant walking around made him nervous and lose focus anyway, so he might as well answer. He excused himself and walked towards the hallway. Living in a shared dorm room didn’t really give them much privacy and he rather left the room than having Patton listening in on the conversations he had with his girlfriend of three years. Mainly because Patton kept teasing him about it by turning al his reactions into puns or squealing whenever he showed some form of affection. 

Logan wasn’t very good at showing affection, but had learned through trial and error, what it was that Estrella liked to hear from him and he basically kept repeating small variations of that. So far it had been working and it would keep working like this for years if there wasn’t an outside force tearing them apart. Something Logan thought to be highly unlikely. He didn’t know much about feelings, but he felt content so... that should be good right? 

Finally the landline rang and Patton almost fell over the cooler they kept in their room so they didn’t have to walk to the shared kitchen to get a drink. He also knocked over some of his books, Logan had often told him to put away on a shelf, before he reached the phone. His hands were shaking when he answered the phone. 

“Patton Sanders” 

“Hey Pat, it’s Michael. It’s time!”

“Aaaaah I’m soooo excited!!!”

“Nikki sure isn’t.” Michael laughed. “But I’m sure that will change when the little bambino is actually here.”

“Can’t wait to meet the little guy! Are mom and dad already there?” 

“Yup, were just waiting on you now amico. You gonna make it?” 

“Uhm... depends the drive there is about three hours so that shouldn’t be to long... I just hope my car will start! It had some troubles yesterday, you should totally look at it some time!”

“Will do bud. Just get your ass over here, because I’m sure you’re sis would kill off the character inspired by you, in her book, if you don’t show up in time!” 

“Aaah I’m already on my way! Bye Mike!”

“See ya soon, Pat.”

Patton only just thought about putting the receiver back on the machine, before leaving the dorm room rushing by Logan who was still calling with his girlfriend. 

“It’s time!” He shouted for the entire dorm to hear. “It’s time! It’s time! It’s time!


	2. But that’s all hypothetical, of course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you just hate it when your car doesn’t start and your hot roommate (that you’re totally not gay for) has to help you?

Patton skipped towards his old rundown, second hand car, almost falling over several times. He was so excited! He was going to be an uncle! Only a three hour drive from his college towards the hospital in Orlando, where his older sister was in labor right now!

He ducked into his car and started the engine... or that’s what he wanted to do... he turned the key into the contact several times, but the engine didn’t start and if it did, it turned off as soon as Patton let go of the key. 

How! How was it possible that out of any possible day, his car decided to fail him completely today! He had to get to the hospital! He didn’t want to miss the birth of his nephew! But every second it took to start his car, the chance of missing it grew exponentially.

Patton let his head fall on the steering wheel, only just missing the horn. He had been so excited for this... Why hadn’t he let someone take a look at his engine before today?! Oh yeah right... no money. For someone studying money almost every day, he sure didn’t have much of it... no de digits on his bank account were as red as the paint on the car he bought for that same money. 

A tap on his car window got Patton back in the now, as he lifted his head from the steering wheel. Logan was standing there swinging the keys of his own car he had gotten for his birthday last year between his thumb and index finger. Ugh why did he always had to brag with all the stuff he got? First the girlfriend, then the car... the worst thing was that he didn’t even notice doing it! Patton could only guess it was because Logan grew up between people who always had more than enough money and always got everything they wanted, but that didn’t mean he had to...

Wait Logan is trying to get his attention again, by once more tapping on the glass. Patton opened the door.

“Your car won’t start.” 

“Thanks, Logic.” 

“Did you mean to say: That’s logical?” Logan guessed. “Because then I would fail to understand why you kept trying to start your car after several failed attempts, or why you tried at all, if you knew your car wasn’t going to start in the first place.”

“No I just called you Logic.” Patton said with a small smile, because you should always stay polite. Especially when you’re talking to your roommate, who you are going to be stuck with for the rest of the year. 

“Okay... why?” Logan was confused, very confused. He had never had a nickname like that. Sure he had been called Lo many times, his father still called him boy sometimes and of course he and his girlfriend used sweet nicknames for each other from time to time.

“Mhm Thomas called you that when talking about classmates.” Patton hummed.

“Thomas... Thomas Sanders?” Patton nodded. “He used to be in my Biochemical engineering major, but I believe he switched.”

“Yup, he’s now in the theatre department!” Logan took in the new information. 

“Why would he call me Logic?” 

“I don’t know... to be honest I barely know you.” They had been roommates for 3 months now, but Logan was always reading or busy with other school work. “your social life seems to be booked” Patton chuckled as Logan looked at him confused... again. 

“Was that supposed to be some sort of... pun?” He asked the man who was now grinning in his car. Well at least he had managed to cheer up his roommate somehow... just not the way he had originally planned. 

“Yup! My personal dictionary” Patton tapped at his head “is filled with them!” Patton was full on giggling now, and it was at that moment he realized that he liked messing with his roommate. 

“Well I was going to offer you a ride to your destination, but-“

“You know that destination is Orlando, right?” 

“I’m aware.” 

“How?” 

“We share a single room, and we also share the landline that is located within that room. Clearly I could have overheard you mention your sister being in the Florida Hospital Orlando.” Logan shrugged. “But that’s all hypothetical of course.”

Patton’s smile grew larger with each word Logan said. Damn he could hug his always stoic roommate right now! But he wouldn’t of course. Why would a grown man hug another grown man who was barely even a friend? Tsss ridiculous right? 

“You’re actually willing to drive me to Orlando?” Patton still couldn’t believe it. They usually lived next to each other, trying completely to ignore the other and just letting them do their thing. 

“Well Ella asked me to pick her up from the airport... so I have to be in Orlando anyway.” Logan shrugged.  
“You will have to find someone else for the ride back, though. I hope that won’t be a problem?” 

“Nah, I’m sure my parents can drive me home. They live in that small town near campus!” 

“Great. If you could lock up your motor vehicle and follow me to mine.” 

Patton hastily complied. He could barely believe how good the leather seats in Logan’s car felt. And the car drove so easy over the road. If Patton ever had the kind of money they were talking about in his classes, he would totally buy a car like this!


	3. Two men who like dad jokes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton arrives af the hospital.

“Oh I don’t like Patton making that long of a drive in that car of him one bit, Harold!” Patton’s mother said to his father. “We should have driven him here, there was room enough in the car! Patton’s father rolled his eyes. 

“He’ll be fine Nathalie. Besides he had classes yesterday remember? He couldn’t come with us, because if he missed that class he couldn’t retake his exams if that would be needed.” 

“But what if his car stops working at the middle of the highway?” The woman was shaking from all the emotions she was feeling right now. 

“He’s a smart kid Nat, and the car would have enough momentum to get him to the side of the road.” Harold reassured his wife. “Oh Nathalie that reminds me. Do you know why you only ever see signs saying soft shoulder but never the opposite?”

“Harold...”

“Because if it was a hard shoulder they wouldn’t be able to get the sign in the ground!

“Harold!” The man in question was laughing his ass off at his own joke, while his wife gave him a correcting hit at the back of his head. In response Harold playfully put his fists in front of his face as if he wanted to fight. 

“I know you guys are nervous, but if mr. and mrs. Sanders could try to not kill each other, while their daughter is giving birth that would be great.” Nikki said from the hospital bed. Which caused the entire room to laugh and Nikki to groan as another contraction started. 

Not long after that a nurse asked the parents if one of them could leave the room as the hospital only allowed two people to be present during childbirth as the room shouldn’t be too crowded as the doctors did their job. 

Harold left the room after another hit on his head from his wife. This time it was accompanied with the words;

“You’re not a mother, you don’t know what she’s going through. Go wait on our son or something!” 

Poor Nathalie, he thought. His wife hadn’t been that nervous since Nikki and Michael’s wedding day. She would probably go into shock if she was left to wait on her own, outside of the room, where he was sitting right now. He could see the parking lot from a window and decided to look out of it waiting for his son to arrive in his run down car. He really wished they had the money to get him a better one, but Patton had been so proud that he was able to buy one on his own. Patton really had tried to become more independent since he had left for college, but he still lived nearby. Unlike Nikki, who had followed Michael everywhere for his job and was currently living in Orlando, which is why they were at a hospital in Orlando, instead of near the town Harold and Nathalie had lived in their entire lives. 

An expensive looking dark blue car entered the parking lot and drove towards the drop off zone. Howard always liked cars, he didn’t know a lot about them, but he could appreciate the way they looked and could clearly see this car must be expensive and was well kept. While Harold was admiring the shiny blue paint on the car, someone got out on the passenger’s side. Poor Harold almost got a heart attack when he saw it was his son. Why was his son in that expansive car and more importantly who the heckity heck did he get a ride from?!

“Thanks for the ride, Logan.”

“Not a problem Patton. You were a nice companion for the ride here.” 

“Good luck finding Ella at the airport! I hope she hasn’t run(a)way!”

“Why would she do that? I’m her boyfriend and she asked me to pick her up... that was another pun wasn’t it?.” Logan sighed

“Yup!” Patton enthusiastically popped the p

“Early congratulations with your new nephew, Patton.”

“Thanks, Logan! I’m gonna go now! Can’t wait to meet him!” 

“It’s just a newborn he won’t actually remember ‘meeting’ you-“ and Patton is already gone. Logan smiled to himself. His roommate was even more odd than he had originally thought... and just walked into the glass of the rotating doors... maybe he needed a pair of glasses too. 

Logan stored that information for another time as he quickly turned his car around and made his way to the airport. Knowing Estrella, this would be a long ride back to the college campus. 

Patton was bouncing on the balls of his feet when he asked the nice lady at the reception where he needed to be. Then he ran up the stairs, as the elevator wasn’t quick enough for him. At the fourth floor in one of the waiting rooms his dad was waiting for him to arrive. 

Patton had expected to see joy on his fathers face, but instead was met with a concerned expression. 

“What’s wrong? Is it something to do with Nikki? Is it the baby?” Patton asked as quick as humanly possible. 

“Who’s car was that?”

“Mhm?” What car was his dad talking about?

“Who gave you a ride to the hospital? Did you hitchhike? Where’s your car?”

Patton was glad that nothing seemed to be wrong with his sister or future nephew. He still wondered how his dad had seen him arrive though, well he did until he saw the windows behind his dad that probably looked out over the parking lot. 

“My car wouldn’t start, so my roommate offered to bring me to the hospital.” 

“Your roommate?”

“Yeah, Logan Mitchell, the mayor’s kid.” 

“And why would HE offer to drive you all the way to Orlando?” 

“I don’t know... we never really talked that much.” Patton shrugged. “But he seems nice. He also had to pick up his girlfriend at the airport.” The world girlfriend seemed to calm Harold down.

Harold had always feared his son might be gay. Not because he was against it, but because a big part of the world was and he didn’t wish it upon his son that he had to live with all those people hating on him for no particular reason, other than his sexuality. Patton had however never mentioned anything and he had even had some girlfriends of his own. And now his straight roommate had brought him to the hospital in time for the birth of Nikki’s child, because he had to be in Orlando anyway to pick up his girlfriend... nothing to worry about, right?

Patton and his father relaxed around each other as they sat down and waited in the waiting area until their nephew and grandson would arrive. It couldn’t be soon enough for them! 

Unfortunately they would have to wait for a while as it would take another 12 hours before the baby was finally there.


	4. I ‘kid’ you not! Virgil has arrived.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of baby stuff and a little bit of confused Logan.

After a little over 15 hours of Nikki being in labor, a little angel was born. His name? Virgil Angelo Sanders Davide. Son of Nikki Sanders and Michael Davide. The little boy’s eyes were brown, a soft brown he shared with his mother, her mother and his uncle Patton, as his father’s eyes were a deeper and darker brown. He had a lot of hair for a newborn baby, thick, brown hair like his father and his skin was a little tan like him too, his Italian roots shining through.

Michael stepped into the waiting room to get his father and brother in-law. Michael’s own parents were visiting family in Italy and couldn’t get back in time. He planned on calling them after telling the two men they could go and see the little guy. 

When he entered the waiting room, Harold had fallen asleep, while Patton was enthusiastically telling him about college and what he had eaten that morning and... basically he was telling him everything he could think of, while looking out over the parking lot. Both men had very different ways of distraction themselves. Michael smiled fondly at his in-laws. 

“Hey Pat, can you wake up grandpa over there?” 

“Sure thing, Mike! WAIT!! Does that mean?!” Michael only needed to nod his had once for Patton to squeal so loud that he woke his father up. 

“I’m gonna call the fam in the boot of Europe. You guys know the way to Nikki’s room right?” 

“Yeah, why?” A confused Harold chimed in. 

“Because I ‘kid’ you not when I tell you you’ve become a grandpa, dad!” Patton giggled to himself, proud of his joke and of the reaction it got out of his father. The two waved to Micheal as he left to the ground floor of the building to find a phone booth or maybe use the phone at the reception desk, as long as it was cheaper for international calls than using his cellphone. 

Patton and Harold quickly made their way towards their new Nephew and grandson. 

“Patton Sanders... Brother mine... I’m afraid I’ll have to brutally murder you as you were too late!” Was the first thing Nikki said upon seeing her younger brother. 

“I was here on time though! They just wouldn’t let me in anymore!” Patton whined in response. “Please don’t kill off Brennan in your next book!” 

“Patton quiet down please, you’re going to upset the baby.” Nathalie hissed at her son, with no malicious intent. 

“It’s your own fault! I’ve had 12 hours of trying to push out a baby.” Nikki pointed at the young boy wrapped up in a blanket, laying on her chest. “Coming up with ideas of how Brennan is going to die.” 

“Nooooo” Patton fake screamed as quiet as possible, but let’s be real here, Patton is never really quiet. 

“Patton.” Nathalie hissed again. 

“Don’t worry mrs. Sanders. The baby doesn’t seem to be too scared of loud noises. I’m sure he’ll grow up to be a brave kid.” The doctor comforted the brand new grandmother. At that moment the doctor’s pager went of and his face sunk as he looked at the screen. 

“Damn that poor kid can’t go one day without another complication.” He muttered to himself before walking towards the door. 

“I’m terribly sorry, but we have a two month old with a heart condition in intensive care, at the moment. If you need anything, feel free to call on a nurse.” 

“Is the kid going to be okay?” Patton had to know, before the doctor left. 

“We’re trying our best. There isn’t much more we can do... Sometimes I wonder if it’s some sort of cruel joke as his initials are R. I. P.” 

“Well let’s hope that stands for ‘recovery in progress’ then!” Patton said with a smile, as he was now crouched next to Nikki’s hospital bed, looking at his sleeping nephew. He didn’t even want to think about something bad happening to the little dream cloud. 

“Let’s hope so.” The doctor said, not really convinced, before he rushed out of the room. Leaving the Sanders’ and Michael alone to enjoy the new addition to the family. 

Meanwhile Logan was back at college trying to write an essay in his, finally quiet, dorm room. He had more than enough time to finish it, but it was still frustrating that he couldn’t get a single letter on the paper in front of him. He was going to use a piece of paper for the first draft before typing it into a word processing tool on one of the school computers in the library, and he knew he was going to edit that first draft multiple times, before ending up with the best possible essay he could write... but for some reason he just couldn’t continue onwards from the work he had done yesterday and the worst thing was, he didn’t know why! 

Logan had tried everything, even taking a short break, but nothing was working. Was it possible that... no... but then again he also couldn’t rule it out completely... was he ‘missing’ his overly active roommate?! The roommate that couldn’t keep quiet as Logan tried to work? That roommate that sometimes answered the questions Logan accidentally asked himself out loud and never really was completely right, but could still steer Logan into the right direction? Logan had to test his hypothesis!

“What is 267 divided by 8?” It didn’t take Logan to long before he calculated that the answer was 33,375, but he definitely missed the sound of his roommate trying to calculate it out loud or shuffling around trying to find a calculator. 

Funny how you can get used to something like that in such a short amount of time. Logan used to prefer to work in complete and utter silence, but now he craved some form of background noise. He quickly made up his mind, packed up his stuff and relocated to the cafeteria, where the coffee was horrible, but at least it wasn’t too quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys think baby R.I.P. survived? Will he return later on in this fic? Will Logan ever realize why he is really missing Patton?


	5. Unusual behavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan saves Patton from answering a difficult question.

The next day Patton had to go back to campus for his next class, an economics class that he really wasn’t looking forward to. You see he would have done his reading for the lecture... but he was becoming an uncle! That was kind of, sort of more important! He just hoped the professor wouldn’t call on him for an explanation of the literature. That he didn’t read... 

It’s not that he couldn’t have read it during the 12 hours he wasn’t allowed to see his sister, but who can work when they’re that excited?! 

Logan probably could. Patton thought to himself as he opened the door to the lecture room. Where he was surprised to see a part of the class of mathematics majors including Logan. Had he stepped into the wrong lecture room? No that was his teacher standing by the board reading over his notes for the lecture he was about to give... what was going on?!

It was odd to see, you’d think after high school people really couldn’t be bothered anymore whether someone from their ‘group’ was sitting next to them, but the class seemed to be divided by the two different majors. Business majors left, mathematics majors right and a few people who had chosen this course as extra curriculum in the middle. 

“Good afternoon class” Professor Holland started his lecture. “Business majors, you might have seen some unfamiliar faces sitting in the crowd today” his words were met with an awkward silence and one student, sitting to the back, coughing. “This is only temporary. I made this lecture optional for my mathematics class, as it might help them place what they are learning within a work field.” 

Some of Patton’s classmates seemed to relax after hearing the mathematics class would only be there for one lecture, but Patton himself was a little disappointed. He would have liked to share some classes with his roommate! That way Logan could help him with difficult economic stuff. 

Patton was trying his best to pay attention to the lecture, but he didn’t understand it at al! Usually he could manage, but since he hadn’t done the reading all the professor said sounded like gibberish. Of course this was THE lecture that professor Holland decided to ask him a question. 

Patton looked like a deer in headlights, as the professor was waiting for his answer. 

“Mr. Holland, I understand economics is not my field, but I believe Patton could impossibly answer that question, as you have not given a proper explanation of the business’ long term plans. With the current information available to us we could only look at short term investments and payoffs, which is not ideal for a business in your example.” 

Now Patton officially wanted Logan in all of his classes. Most people from Logan’s class were groaning at Logan correcting the teacher once again. While some of the people from Patton’s class seemed to be impressed. Patton didn’t care what others were thinking, though. He was glowing. He was so proud of Logan for knowing that, as he wasn’t an economist! And of course he was also happy that he himself didn’t had to answer the question now. 

After the lecture, Patton ran after Logan to catch up with him. 

“Hey Logan, thanks.” Patton said, once he was standing in front of Logan.

“There is no need to thank me, Patton. You have already thanked me yesterday, for driving you to your sister in the hospital.” 

“Oh no, I didn’t mean for that.” This confused Logan, what else had he done that Patton could thank him for?

“I’m afraid I don’t understand?” 

“Thank you for answering that question mr. Holland asked me. I didn’t know the answer and you totally saved me!”

“You couldn’t have possibly known the answer as not all variables were given and-“ 

“Well thank you anyway.” Patton said before quickly hugging him and then running away leaving behind a very confused and flustered Logan. 

Why would Patton hug him? They are barely friends, they don’t even really know anything about the other, after being roommates for 3 months. The most important question Logan had, though, was: why did he like that short hug so much more than any of the hugs Ella had ever given him... not that she was someone for physical forms of affection... but neither was Logan, right? So that wasn’t a problem... right?

“Don’t think about it too much, Logan. It’s just a hug. Patton can just get a bit overexcited from time to time.” Thomas said while looking at his friend Patton running away. Something weird was going on here... 

“No need to excuse his... unusual behavior... Uhm... Thomas right?” Thomas nodded as a conformation. “We’ve been roommates for 3 months now... so I know. It’s just... unusual...”

“You already said unusual, Logic... uhm Logan.” Thomas eyed him suspiciously. He still didn’t understand how Patton could stand having Logan Mitchell as his roommate. Nobody in Thomas’s old biochemical engineering class like Logan, as he always had to correct everyone. Seriously had he not learned how to just be polite and humanlike, in at least one of the many classes he seemed to be taking?

Still nobody really liked to stand up to Logan or tell him that HE was wrong, as his father was rich and important and could get you kicked off of college if you did anything against his son. 

With his cold reputation, Logan had already managed to scare of 34 roommates... but Patton only saw the best in people so he had stayed when he heard his roommate would be Logan. He had stayed his roommate for 3 months already! And now he had hugged him?! 

“So it seems.” Logan said, pulling Thomas out of his thoughts. “Good afternoon Thomas.” A small polite smile was pulling at Logan’s lips.

“Same to you” Thomas smiled back.

Maybe Logan wasn’t as bad as Thomas had previously thought. Patton wouldn’t hug someone who never gave him a good reason to. Thomas chuckled. Maybe Logic was actually a little bit human. 

Now he had to run after Patton, though. As they were supposed to meet up, before Patton ran away. Maybe Logan was right. This behavior was quite unusual.


	6. I’m confused x2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are being confused about their sexuality... and some other things. Luckily they have the girls to clear some things up for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god this chapter was a struggle. 
> 
> Hope you still like it!   
> It turned out extra long so that’s a plus I guess

Later that week when Logan was at a seminar and Patton was sitting alone in their shared dorm room, Patton decided to call his sister. He had finally build up the courage to talk to someone about this, and who better to discuss this sort of thing with than his older sister?

Patton anxiously waited for Nikki to pick up the phone. Knowing that she answered the landline most of the time, while Michael only really answered his cellphone. 

“Nikki Sanders” A sleepy voice answered. Followed by “A shit now Virgil is awake and crying. Michael can you get Virgil? I’m on the phone... No that’s not a good reason for me to get a cell. I can’t do everything in this household mike!” 

“Good morning to you too, sis.” Patton chuckled, because his sister had completely forgotten she was in the phone while having that little argument with Michael. Their arguments were always playful and you could hear in their voices that they really loved each other, even if they sometimes screamed so loud that their neighbors would complain. Patton guessed they had to stop screaming so much, since they had a kid now... but change takes time. 

“Patton! How you doin?” Nikki said, followed by a yawn. 

“I’m confused...” 

“Oh oh... Mike can you take Virgil to the living room? ...this is a family emergency, I don’t care that it’s cold outside of the bed! You really are just as lazy as your brother sometimes!” A muttering Micheal was heard in the background. His voice became quieter and quieter until Patton could hear a door close. 

“Okay, spit it out, and I’ll give you some grown up advice!” 

“Well... there’s this person... and they are really nice and helpful! But a lot of people think they are strange and don’t feel anything! But they really aren’t and... they had helped me for the second time this week and... I kind of hugged them and ran away... because I was scared for their reaction. But I’ll have to face them soon again and I don’t know how I’m feeling about that-“

“Pat, you’re just spewing words at me right now, like the dragon witch did in ‘A rose for the prince’, when she was trying to convince the prin... never mind. This is not about literature right now. This is about you!” Patton giggled at his sister getting sidetracked, by one of her own stories. “What exactly were you feeling when you hugged them? You’re usually really good at feelings, little bro.” 

“I don’t know... I can usually read other people’s emotions like a book” both Patton and his sister laughed at Patton’s dad joke. “But my own seem to be a bit more difficult to understand...” 

“All jokes aside Pat. How are you feeling about them?” 

“Well... they make me feel... nervous I guess... I mean I ran away from them after hugging them... But they also make me feel happy and they are really fun to talk to, once you get to know them better!”

“Pat... have you considered that maybe, just maybe, you have fallen for them?” 

“I didn’t fall, I’m sitting on my bed.” 

“Patton... do you have a crush on the person you were telling me about?” Patton gasped, reality finally hitting him straight in the face... or maybe not so straight hehe... 

“I... I think I do.” He said it so quietly that Nikki almost didn’t hear it.

“Pat that’s awesome! What’s her name? Tell me everything about the lucky girl!” Patton’s heart sunk. What was he going to do now?! He had been really happy when he realized, the weird feelings he had for Logan were love, but... he shouldn’t love Logan... well he could love him as a friend but not as anything more! Logan has a girlfriend! Patton should probably find himself a girlfriend. Just be normal and fit in... but when had he ever been able to do that? 

“Pat? You still there?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked you who you were totally having a crush on.”

“My... my roommate...”

“Oh I get it, you’re roommate arrived and you can’t talk about it anymore.”

“Uhm not exactly...” 

“Patton I can’t read your face through the phone. What do you mean?”

“I... I think I...” Patton looked at the door to his dorm to see that nobody would walk in to hear him say this. “Have a crush on my roommate.”

The Sanders siblings were quiet for a while, both not really sure how to react to the revelation. 

“Oh...” Nikki finally managed to say. Honestly she was too tired for this right now and wasn’t sure if she was getting all the facts straight. “I’m guessing they don’t have mixed rooming with boys and girls in the same room?” 

“I don’t think they do...” Patton sheepishly answered his older sister, like he didn’t know what she meant by that. Of course he knew, but he wasn’t ready to admit fully to someone that he might have a crush on a man. Even if that was exactly what he had just done. 

“Pat, maybe you should sleep on it for a few nights. Mike and I will be back in town this weekend and then we can talk about this face to face.” Patton knew it. His sister, and best friend, was disappointed in him for having a crush on a man. Did this make him gay? Like the homosexual type of gay, not gay as in happy. Jeez how many times could he use the word gay in one sentence? If his sister was disappointed in him, then what would his parents think about it! 

No he wasn’t gay... he couldn’t be. He’s had relationships with girls before... they never really worked out in the end... but... Another revelation hit him. He had never really loved them. Sure he had liked them, had thought of them as great friends, but... he had never really wanted more with them. He had just said yes when they had asked, not wanting to hurt them. And maybe he was just trying to fit in like other high schoolers, and having a girlfriend was part of that. No... he had never wanted a relationship with them, it had just happened. What he did want very badly right now was a relationship with his roommate Logan Mitchell.

“And if you still feel this way this weekend, then I’ll totally help trying to get you two together!” Wait... Nikki wasn’t disappointed? She didn’t hate him for wanting to date a man? She didn’t hate him! She would never hate him! Patton was in love with a man and his sister still accepted him for who he was. Patton was just as happy as he had been when Logan had driven him to the hospital. 

Now there was only one small problem left. LOGAN HAS A GIRLFRIEND!

Logan’s seminar had finished and he was having a drink with Ella in a nearby cafe. Logan was telling Ella about his classes while she was idly texting someone on her phone. A truly romantic, romantic outing for the two. 

“And then an exceptionally enthusiastic student from the business major hugged me, because I stopped the teacher from asking him a ridiculous question.” 

“She should back off, you’re mine mayor’s boy.” Ella didn’t look up from her phone while saying that. 

“It was actually a male, which made it more...” Logan didn’t want to use the word unusual again, but he really couldn’t think of a better word. The Logan Mitchell at a loss for words... that was new. “Odd.” 

“Mhm” hearing that it was probably just a friend who hugged her boyfriend, made Ella lose interest in the conversation. Sure she likes Logan, but he could be so boring! They had been dating for 3 years and he still seemed incapable of having emotions and feelings. 

Logan and Estrella had known each other since kindergarten and their parents had been very pleased when the two had gotten together. The thing is... they were both very similar to each other. Mainly focussed on their studies and bored of having to listen to each other rambling about it. 

Estrella had always been better with feelings, though. Which is why she had managed to keep her relationship with Logan going, while also enjoying some side courses. This way her parents were happy and she wasn’t bored out of her mind. She was in the midst of chatting up Alex through text, when she noticed that Logan was still going on about that guy. 

“Jeezz Lo, it sounds like you actually have a thing for that guy.”

“A thing” Logan asked confused” 

“Yeah you know... romantic feelings” Ella explained slightly annoyed and still pushing the buttons of her phone’s keyboard. 

“That’s ridicules Elle and you know it!” Logan was feeling angry. He wasn’t really sure why, but he could tell it was anger. 

“And why is that?!” Estrella spew back at him. It’s quite sad when you realize this is the most passionate conversation they’ve had in a while.

“Because we are in a relationship and I would never-“

“Is that it? You don’t just hate people like that?!”

“People like what, Ella?”

“Ugh you’re so daft sometimes. Gays! Homosexuals! People who like people of the same biological gender!” 

“Well, biologically there is no need for, as you called it, ‘people like that’, as one of the objections of humankind is to copulate, with the result of pregnancy. It is not logical for people of the same-“ 

“Just stop teach! I’m sorry I asked.”

“No need to apologize, Ella. All though I do have to clarify that I am not a teacher.” 

“I am however not sorry for flirting with Alex behind your back. We’re done Lo. I can’t date someone who doesn’t accept me for who I am.” Estrella knew this was for the better. She suddenly didn’t care anymore what her parents would think of her. She just couldn’t stay with Logan a day longer! She believed that he really didn’t have anything against people who were gay, or bi or whatever and was just confused himself and for him to figure himself out she had to and it right now.

“Wait, we weren’t talking about who you are? And who is Alex?!” 

“Alexandra Wade.” She answered and with that Estrella stood up ready to leave the cafe. 

“One word of advice, Logan.”

“Yes, Estrella.”

“You should learn to listen to your heart more. I know you’re not a cold or evil person, I probably know you better than anyone... but what we had... that wasn’t love. It was just... a convenient way of pleasing out parents. It’s a shame something like this...” she pointed at their table where the argument had happened only seconds earlier. “Had to happen for me to figure out what to do.” 

“If we were never ‘lovers’ in the first place... I assume we can remain friends?” Logan guessed. He didn’t really understand what had just happened, but he couldn’t lose Ella completely, he would probably be left with no friends if she removed herself from his life. He did however realize that part of the argument seemed to be exaggerated to make him get the point. And he had never said that he actually hated people who were gay... just that they were biologically insignificant... okay that didn’t really sound good either... 

“Yeah we can.” Ella smiled at Logan, knowing that he had understood her the way she hoped he had. She pulled Logan into a hug, very different from Patton’s hug, but finally feeling real after 3 years of ‘relationship hugs’.


	7. I love word association games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wait I actually uploaded a new chapter for this fic?! What?! How?! 
> 
> It’s been a year since Patton had figured out he had a crush on his roommate. What happened and where are our lead characters now?
> 
> Trying to get back into this story, which will have a few more time jumps in the future, as I’m trying to fit over ten years into one fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter contains lots of musical theatre/Thomas Sanders references. Can you spot them all?

It was a year later. A year after Logan and Ella broke up and a year after Patton found out he had a major crush on his male roommate. It was also their last year of college, both almost ready to step into the big bad world. Almost. 

Patton’s sister Nikki had been very supportive of him and had tried her best to get the two together, which wasn’t an easy task since she still lived in Orlando with her husband Michael and her now one year old son Virgil, and Patton lived around 3 hours away from her. She did however had an informant, who kept an eye on the little love birds for her. 

That informant being Raimondo “Remy” Davide, Michael’s younger brother who had just started at the same college as Patton and Logan, and was already leaving his mark on the campus grounds, not that he often showed up to class, because well... he wasn’t really a morning person... and he also never went to seminars past 4 pm. And if he wanted some good coffee he didn’t hesitate to travel to a neighboring town to get the good stuff, even if that meant going there during school hours. 

Honestly Remy still couldn’t believe the college had actually accepted him, with the shitty application he had send in. He didn’t even want to be there himself, but his parents had forced him to at least apply to a few colleges before he could go to beauty school like he actually wanted to. 

His parents didn’t really agree with the way Remy saw the world. They believed he would be waisting his talents at beauty school, which to them was something only women should attend, and that he should learn a real job. So here Remy was, practically falling asleep during a lecture ironically on the human sleeping cycle. 

He had been hanging out with Patton and his friends Thomas, Joan, Talyn and of course Logan. And if he was honest, they were the only people that made going to college worth it. Thomas had decided to give them all nicknames. Logan was ‘Logic’ and since Patton was basically the opposite of Logan, he was soon dubbed as ‘Morality’. Joan’s nickname was ‘Beanie’ after the orange headwear they always wore and their datemate Talyn was called ‘Short and threatening’, because... that’s what they were! Remy himself was called ‘Sleep’ because if he hadn’t had his coffee, he could literally fall asleep anywhere. That only left Thomas, who didn’t want to think of a nickname for himself, which led to the others coming up with more and more ridiculous nicknames for him. Names like ‘Thomithy’ and ‘Thomalongadingdong’ had already started to sound normal, but Thomas didn’t really mind the weird nicknames, because they came from his friends who loved him... in their own unique ways. 

While Remy was dosing of, thinking about his friends, during his lecture, two of them were sitting in their shared dorm room, trying to come up with ideas for some big essays they had to write. 

“Word association game! Go!” Patton suddenly broke the comfortable silence surrounding the studying roommates.

“Patton I don’t see how this helps us finishing our respective essays.” Logan answered, trying not to get distracted and lose the sentence he was currently reading.

“College” it took Logan a few seconds to realize that Patton had taken the last word of his sentence to make a word association with, and when he did he got a bit annoyed, since he just wanted to continue doing research for his essay.

“Patton...” he sighed, trying to get his roommate to see the importance of actually working on their essays and not just procrastinating until the day before it was due, as Patton did way to often. 

“Roommate” Patton said with a wicked smile, knowing his roommate, and crush for over a year, wouldn’t be able to defy him forever. Patton’s comment was met with another sigh and when Logan shoved the chair he was sitting on away from his desk, Patton actually believed he had lost and that Logan would just choose to study in the campus library instead of in their shared room. 

“Dormitory” Logan said as he turned his chair around so he was facing Patton. Patton’s smile grew even bigger as they continued their little game.

“Building”

“Apartment”

“Gummy!” 

“Okay, Time out. How did you get gummy from apartment?” Logan asked confused as he saw no correlation between the two words whatsoever. 

“You know... apart-mint! Mints and gummies are both candies!” Patton answered while looking expectantly towards Logan.

“I’ll accept it... this time.” Logan answered Patton’s expecting gaze. He pointed at the bag of gummies with smiling faces on them at Patton’s side of the room. “Smiley”

“Happy”

“Emotion”

“Feeling”

“Love”

“You” Patton turned as red as the binder that held the assignment for his essay, when he took in Logan’s shocked face and he realized what he had said. “shoe! I meant shoe! I just love your platform shoes! They’re so... platformy... and... shoe-ish.” Patton tried to fix his mistake, but it was an utterly useless attempt. He had actually said it out loud. Not directly but still... he had told Logan he loved him... and to correct himself he didn’t add ‘like a friend’ as people would usually do in this situation... no he had said that he meant his shoes... those stupid plateau shoes that made Logan just a tiny bit taller than Patton, while he was normally smaller than him. 

An awkward silence had fallen between the two after Patton had tried to fix his mistake. What was going to happen now? Logan was too smart to actually believe Patton meant to say shoe... Was Logan going to hate him or think he was a freak? Patton had gotten pretty far with trying to get Logan to socialize more and understand people’s emotions better, was that all for nothing now? Clearly if Logan thought Patton was a freak, then he wouldn’t want to hang out with him anymore... would he dump all his new friends and just be cold and alone again? That wouldn’t be fair on Logan... Logan didn’t deserve that... Logan deserved more than someone like Patton falling for him. And Patton was falling. Hard. 

But to be fair... so was Logan. Logan didn’t know what to do or say, or if he should really do or say anything right know. He wanted to leave. He needed some fresh air right now, as it seemed as if his dorm room had been flooded with water and he couldn’t breathe as he didn’t have gills, since he wasn’t a fish... and this wasn’t really what he should be focusing on right now. His roommate had just misspoken and had indirectly said he loved Logan. He probably meant platonic love, people say those kind of things, right? They had been friends for a while. People say they love their friends... right? Logan honestly didn’t know. He never had friends like he does now. Before college he only really had friends who were somehow connected to people his father knew. Friends who would use each other for connections once they had all got highly esteemed jobs. Nothing like the friendships he knew now. Nothing like his friendship with Thomas, Joan, Talyn and Remy. And definitely nothing like his friendship with Patton. A friendship he didn’t want to lose, not for anything in the whole world. He didn’t want to lose Patton over this. He couldn’t lose Patton. He lov- 

...

He loved him. Everything suddenly became very clear for Logan. The water in the dorm slowly draining away. Not that Logan wasn’t still panicking as a part of him still believed the things he had been taught, about homosexuality being bad. But how could something that felt so right be wrong? Okay that sentence sounded wrong, but you get the memo. 

Logan was still trying to understand everything he was feeling at that moment, but he couldn’t let the silence drag on forever. So he said the only thing that he could think of at the moment.

“Okay” it wasn’t his most intellectual moment.


	8. “Okay...”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our two leads start to panick, but luckily they have some friends to help them with their predicament. 
> 
> One of those friends is a loving theatre geek, walking around in the theatre department and the other... he just wanted someone to complain about family with.
> 
> Oops forgot to put this here earlier...  
> TRIGGER WARNING: anxiety attack and people panicking in general.

Patton needed a phone. He needed to call his sister right now... but he couldn’t as Logan was still in the room with him and he couldn’t talk about messing things up with Logan, with Logan actually being there. And so Patton made up his mind and ran out after excusing himself. He wasn’t really sure where his feet were taking him, as he was searching for a phone booth or another kind of public phone. Like they had in the library he just passed. He had also already passed two phone booths on his way to... Where was he going? 

Suddenly Patton was stopped by something hard and a little bit squishy, something better known as a human being. This particular human was his friend Thomas, who had just had a seminar about theatre literature. 

“Wow Morality, Pat, what are you doing? You’re walking through the theatre department like you’ve just seen a dead body somewhere!” Thomas cried out as Patton walked into him and almost knocked them both over. “Are you running away from professor Callahan again?” 

Professor Callahan had scared Patton so much with his speech about being a shark and going after the blood in the water, that Patton was too afraid to swim in the sea for weeks, afraid that a shark would attack him if he would injure himself. That wasn’t really Callahan’s point, but still no one but Logan was able to convince Patton that the chance of getting attacked by a shark was infinitesimal. After Logan had learned the correct definition of infinitesimal that is. 

“Oh I’m fine Thomas. Just looking for a phone...” 

“Any phone in particular? Because you’ve just walked past the one near the entrance?” Thomas got even more concerned than he had already been, when Patton didn’t even get a slight look of recognition on his face after he mentioned the phone booth Patton must have walked past to get into the theatre department. “You know? The one at the colored blocks in front of the theatre department, where you are now?” 

“Hmm?” Patton seemed to slowly get out of his panicked haze. 

“Patton are you sure you’re okay?” 

“Is there somewhere we can talk? ...In private?” 

“Why?”

“Because I messed up with Logan! Badly! And now he thinks I’m a freak, and he was just getting better with making friends and now I’ve ruined it and-” 

“Wow Patton chill! How exactly have you ‘ruined it’?” Patton looked up at Thomas with pleading eyes. “Right. Somewhere private... wanna go to the practice room? I don’t think anyone’s in there at the moment.” 

Patton simply nodded his head, knowing that the next words he was going to say was that he had told Logan he loved him no matter what, and he really didn’t want the entire school to know it by tomorrow morning. 

Logan was left behind in a daze after Patton had ran out of the room. It was kind of reminiscent of the time Patton had hugged him and ran away, only this time Logan didn’t have Thomas here to tell him that it was just something friends did. Thereby, Logan was fairly certain this wasn’t something friends did. Randomly telling the other that they loved them followed by furiously blushing. 

The conversation he had with Ella a little over a year ago flashed through his head again. 

“Jeezz Lo, it sounds like you actually have a thing for that guy.”

“A thing?” 

“Yeah you know... romantic feelings” Ella had explained, while pushing the buttons of her phone’s keyboard. 

“That’s ridicules Elle and you know it!” 

Back then he had said it was ridiculous, because he had been in a relationship with Ella for three years and simply didn’t know any better. He had always believed he was straight as that was the norm in the environment he had grown up in. That was until Ella had dumped Logan and came out as bisexual, which was followed by a lot of disappointed parents screaming at each other about how they should raise their children. The Lacey’s were no longer on speaking terms with the Mitchell’s. Except for Logan and Ella who had remained friends, much to their parents’ disapproval. 

Logan should probably call Ella. She would know what to do. She had done it before when she got together with Alex. She had just told her she liked her and they had gone from there. Ella didn’t care about the reactions she got, but Logan was always an overachiever who wanted to please his father, something that never seemed to work. 

Logan definitely liked Patton back... and he wouldn’t mind telling him that... it was just... it was easier being straight. It was easier keeping to the friends and circles he was familiar with. It was easier to just bury himself in things he could study and learn to understand. But what if this was the possibility to finally actually understand his feelings? Patton was always good in those kind of things... he could help...

Logan’s breathing started to speed up as he thought about how disappointed his father would be in him. It wouldn’t be the first time this happened, but Logan hadn’t panicked this badly since he had moved into the college dormitories and away from his childhood home. It was okay. He could control himself. Except he couldn’t.

He had decided to study his symptoms once after a very bad attack, which almost caused him to faint. Logically he knew that he was having was a panic attack and that he had to ground himself and had to regulate his breathing. Unfortunately that was easier said than done. He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there on the wooden chair, still turned towards Patton’s bed.

“Hey Pat, next time you talk to that annoying brother of mine can you tell him to... Holy shit Lo, you’re a mess.” Remy said from the door opening. He had planned to tell Patton about something Micheal had said to him, but now he was distracted by a very distressed Logan. 

If there was one person Remy thought he would never see crying it was Logan, but now Logan looked awfully close to doing just that. Logan’s dark brown hair was tussled as he had unconsciously been running his hands through it. His tie had haphazardly been pulled lose and was now loosely hanging around his neck. His icy blue eyes were glassy and his glasses were thrown onto the desk he was sitting in front of. Logan had his knees drawn up to his chest and if Remy wasn’t so worried he would have been impressed with how Logan could manage to fit his feet onto the small chair. 

“Logan, girlll, you okay?” 

Logan shook his head. Funny how this whole situation could have been avoided if he was in fact a female. 

His mind was spinning with to many thoughts and emotions, almost all of them falling quite heavily on the negative side of the spectrum. Suddenly he pushed his feet of the chair turning around to grab a pen and a little notebook. He couldn’t speak right now, but he could still word his thoughts in writing... sort of... His hands were shaking badly and his normally neat handwriting now looked like it was written down by a five year old who had just learned to write his own name, but luckily it was still readable. 

Remy was shocked by Logan’s sudden movement, you might even say he was shook, but he still took the notebook from Logan when it was handed to him without hesitation. 

“Help?

Count rhythm  
1-4 1-7 1-8 

Or 

...” 

The last sentence was illegible, Remy thought he could read distract or distraction in there somewhere, but he wasn’t sure, so he opted for the first option. 

Meanwhile Patton and Thomas arrived in the practice room that was indeed empty. 

“So what happened?” Thomas asked Patton again. 

“What the hell happened specks?!” Remy almost screamed after Logan had calmed down. 

“I kind of told Logan I loved him during a word association game!” Patton answered Thomas as quick as humanly possible.

“Patton sort of told me he loved me during a word association game...” Logan answered Remy as matter of factly as he always talked, but there was a slight waiver in his voice. 

“AND?! What did he say?!” 

“AND?! What did you say?! 

“Okay...”


	9. You’re lucky I love you... But you know that’s not what I meant.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lot’s of doubts and closeted gays in this chapter.

Both Patton and Logan explained what had happened in more detail so Thomas and Remy had a clearer image of the situation. 

“And you love him back?” Remy just had to ask. He needed to know what he was dealing with, coming from a very homophobic himself. Logan hadn’t seemed very appalled by the situation, but Logan almost never showed his true emotions. Remy just had to know for sure that he was reading Logan right. 

“If my hypothesis is correct, then yes.”

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” 

“That comment does not really help me in this situation, Remy. As yes, I am well aware of that.”

“Just making sure.” Remy said with a wink. “So what are you gonna do now?” 

“Well. Obviously we have to converse about this with each other at some point.” 

“And?” Remy asked expectingly. Remy had always been someone who liked a good gossip, and this one would be perfect to report back to Nikki.

“And then we pretend that nothing has happened and continue being friends?” Logan wasn’t really sure what other answer Remy was expecting, but he could see that the answer he gave him wasn’t adequate. 

“Oh mio Dio, Logan NO. That is not how this is gonna go!” Remy couldn’t help but cry out. Who actually believed in that kind of crap?

“I was afraid so.” Logan sighed. “I should probably start looking for a different dorm room, or move back with my parents then. Staying friends with someone who is embarrassed for liking you, probably isn’t a good idea.” 

“Hold on. What now? Girl since when is Patton embarrassed about liking anything?”

“He turned red, excused himself and almost ran to get out of this room as soon as possible. Though I’m not good with emotions, I do believe that those are some signs of embarrassment.” Remy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. OF FUCKING COURSE Patton ran away! He thought that Logan would reject him. Who the hell answers ‘I love you’ with ‘okay’ and does not reject the other afterwards!... Logan Mitchell apparently... 

“You didn’t see the pure horror in his eyes Thomas! He FREAKED OUT!” Patton cried out.

“Look at it from the bright side, Pat! At least you can say you made the most stoic man to ever walk these campus grounds show you some form of emotion.” Thomas tried to lighten up the mood a bit as he didn’t like to see Patton not smiling. His comment however caused Patton to punch Thomas in the shoulder, with a grumpy and desolate look on his face. 

“Thanks for the talk Thomas... I’m gonna drive to my parents now... I’ll just stay there overnight. Tell them my roommate hates me now.” Patton said as he started to walk away.

“Isn’t that a little over the top?” Thomas asked, while grabbing Patton’s shoulder to stop him from walking away. “Look I was never too big of a fan of Logan... you know that. But you managed to show all of us, and even Logan himself, that he wasn’t as cold and careless as we thought he was. You guys should probably just talk this whole thing through. I’m sure he doesn’t hate you!”

“With a bit of luck he has already requested another roommate... he hasn’t had trouble doing that before...” Patton tried to convince himself, more than Thomas, of that possibility. 

“That’s before you became his roommate and actually made him act like a human being, Pat!” Thomas tried once again to reassure Patton that he hadn’t messed up as badly as he thought he had.

“Yeah... and I blew it... so now I’m going home.” Patton sighed. “See you around, Thomas.” And with that Patton left the room they were in and went to his car. He could always call Nikki from his parents’ house. 

That evening Remy walked into Thomas’ dorm room and flopped on his bed. Something he did a lot, to the great annoyance of Thomas, who was the only one of their friends in the new dormitory that had rooms for one person instead of the normal shared rooms. 

“Ugh why are the smart ones always so daft?” Remy sighed in a very dramatic voice. 

“Did you try to get someone to write your essay for you again?” Thomas asked from where he was sitting at his desk. He didn’t even look up as Remy walked in. Completely used to it by now.

“No!” Remy huffed. “And that was one time, Thomathy!” 

“Still not my name Sleeeeep” Thomas purposely stretched out Remy’s nickname. “But did you just come to my dorm to tell me that or...?” 

“Nah... just got here to see if you had any room left in your closet.” Remy said with a small grin, that Thomas couldn’t see as he still had his back turned towards Remy.

“I’m not letting you store clothes in my room.” Thomas sighed.

“Aww why not girl?”

“Because then you won’t just show up every other day... you wouldn’t even leave anymore!” 

“You don’t want me here?! That stings, mio amato!” Remy’s voice sounded so over the top hurt, that Thomas knew he was just messing with him, without looking up. But he still had to put something straight.

“You know... just because you say that in Italian doesn’t mean nobody could accidentally hear you.” He stage whispered in Remy’s direction, finally shoving his chair back and turning towards his ‘friend’ laying on his bed.

“Neither does crying and barely being able to breathe, because you’re panicking, with your door open.” Remy simply stated.

“What, who?” Thomas quickly thought back, to see if he was the one Remy was talking about, but he was sure he could remember doing something like that, if it had happened. 

“But I didn’t ask if you had room in your closet for clothes.” 

“What else would you want to put in my closet?” Thomas asked suspiciously. If this was some kind of weird biology experiment then he’d swear he’ll-

“A crying nerd, who could barely breathe.” Said matter of factly, as if it was the most LOGICal thing in the world. The calmed and collectedness in Remy’s voice almost reminding Thomas of Logan. 

“I have NO IDEA what you’re talking about Remy!” Thomas almost shouted. Still somewhere in the back of his mind he started connecting the puzzle pieces.

“Joan told me you calmed down Patton after he ran into you at the drama department. And that both of you looked upset and a little confused afterwards.” Remy couldn’t know about Patton’s confession could he? Remy always heard all the gossip... if he knew then... the whole school would know it by tomorrow evening. Thomas definitely didn’t want to out Patton, after he had been rejected. What if Thomas had been wrong about Logan again, and Logan had outed Patton! That would be even worse! But the crying nerd Remy was talking about... could that be...? no, that was impossible! Logan never cried. 

“So?” Thomas asked, curious to see if he was right.

“So? I found a confused Logan, crying and panicking over something Patton said and the way he reacted to it...” Remy said with a smile that was too big for what he just said. “And now we are going to set them up together, before both of them move away from campus!” The grin on Remy’s face growing wickedly large now. 

“By shoving them in my closet?” Thomas asked teasingly, with a smile matching Remy’s on his face. 

“Gurl, you’re lucky I love you.” Remy said, while getting up from the bed and moving closer to Thomas. He looked at the closed door before quickly planting a kiss on Thomas’s cheek. “But you know that’s not what I meant.”


	10. Come on bitch in-law, let’s get some coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter because I didn’t want any more build up after this. Patton and Logan have to talk to each other eventually!

That night Patton didn’t return to his dorm, which left Logan with a lot of free time to think about what had happened and everything Remy had said to him afterwards. His essay was long forgotten, still laying on his desk, untouched since Patton had insisted on starting a word association game, without a predetermined theme. Logan could barely look at Patton’s side of the room. On the one hand he was feeling guilty for his inadequate response, but on the other he still believed that Patton didn’t even want to like him in the first place... he should have probably gone to his parents’ house too, so he wouldn’t have think about Patton this much. But somehow he thought that it wouldn’t have made a difference and that Patton would have been the only thing on his mind anyway. 

Meanwhile Patton was laying in his old bed. He had lied to his parents and felt really bad about it, but not as bad as he felt about ruining his friendship with Logan. His mother had been surprised when he had knocked on the door without telling them he would come over, but he had quickly told her he had gotten in a fight with his roommate and that he just didn’t want to be in the same room with him for a while. 

Nathalie had of course welcomed her son back home with open arms, but she still had her doubts over Patton’s story. Patton never got in a fight... and if he did, he always apologized immediately... even if it wasn’t his fault! His roommate must have done something horribly wrong to get such a reaction out of her little boy. And she was not having it. She had been shooting her husband some weird looks since Patton had come home, but now he had gone to bed she couldn’t keep quiet anymore. 

Harold was on the phone with Nikki when he finally caught on to his wife’s weird stares. 

“What did I do something wrong?” He asked. The phone was still against his ear so Nikki could hear him clearly. 

“What do you know about Patton’s roommate, Harold?” Nathalie spoke in a hushed tone, so Patton wouldn’t hear her from upstairs. 

“Is this because of the fight they had? I don’t know much about him... I think he is the mayor’s kid.”

“Well that explains something... that family is as tactless as... as... a messenger board without thumbtacks!” Both Harold and Nikki laughed at Nathalie’s ridiculous expression, which earned Harold a hit on the back of his head. 

“Wait Patton had a fight with Logan?” Nikki asked through the phone. Suddenly realizing that A her brother is almost never angry towards anyone and B if all this was true he was in a fight with his crush... which would... well... crush him.

“A yes Logan. That was his name!” Harold exclaimed after hearing it from Nikki. 

Suddenly Nathalie remembered that Harold had been on the phone when this conversation started and was still talking to Nikki. “Can you put her on speakerphone, Harold? If she’s listening to the conversation anyway, then she should probably hear it from both sides, shouldn’t she?” 

“Yes dear.” Harold sighed in mock surrender. “NikNak you’re on speaker now.” He announced after pressing the button. 

“Okay... so Patton got in a fight? With Logan... did he say why?” Nikki asked testing the waters a bit. 

Nathalie had to sheepishly admit that Patton hadn’t told her why, but that he looked so upset that she hadn’t want to press him. 

The conversation went on for a few more minutes, before Nikki had to hang up, promising that she would come visit here parents soon. Patton was hiding something... she could feel it! Well... the most obvious thing he was hiding was his huge gay crush on his roommate, but... there was something else to it. He would have told his parents what the fight was about, or he would have called her, but he didn’t. 

Nikki decided that she would call Remy tomorrow, to see if her husband’s little brother and her little accomplice in the plan to get Patton and Logan together, had some information about what exactly had happened. 

The next morning Remy knocked on the door of the Sanders household. After finding out Patton’s broken old car wasn’t anywhere at campus, he figured Patton was probably still at his parents’ house. And since Thomas didn’t know the address and it would be weird for him to just show up, Remy had the task to talk with Patton, while Thomas would talk to Logan.

“Raimondo. That’s a surprise. What brings you here on this fine fall morning.” Nathalie said upon answering the door. 

“The bus.” Remy answered with a deadpanned face. It was too early for the amount of sunshine coming off of Mrs. Sanders’s face. 

“I see you haven’t had your coffee yet. Want to come in for a cup?” 

“Thanks for the offer Nathalie, but I’m actually here in town, because a new coffee place opened up recently and I couldn’t help but notice Patton’s car in the driveway. So I thought why not ask my favorite brother in-law if he would like to come along. 

“I’m your only brother in-law.” Patton argued, now standing behind his mother. He could barely keep in his laughter when Remy looked back at him in mock offense. 

“Shut up and take the compliment bitch.” Remy playfully snapped back at Patton.

“Language!” Nathalie shrieked, which caused both men to drop their distant and offended facades and laugh at their little fake argument. 

Remy could still see a glimmer of sadness in Patton’s eyes, probably left by Logan ‘turning him down and hating him now’ as Thomas had phrased it last night. 

“Come on bi- ...est brother in-law let’s get some coffee.”   
An hour after Remy had left Thomas’s room that morning in search of Patton, Thomas ran from his dorm towards the science wing to meet up with Logan after his class. When he finally got there, just before the lecture was over, Thomas was severely out of breath. He really needed to exercise more... 

To say that Logan was surprised to see Thomas there was an understatement. Thomas hadn’t come here since he had switched majors and he sure wouldn’t come here for old classmates like Logan himself. 

‘’Hey Logic, wait up!’’ Thomas shouted after Logan had walked right passed him, without stopping to say hi. Logan had clearly not expected Thomas to be there for him. Thinking that hurt Thomas a bit. Sure, their friendship had always been a little rocky, but they were still friends, right? Because if they weren’t… this plan was not going to work. 

‘’Hello Thomas, what brings you back to this side of campus?’’ Logan said matter of factly, but it also sounded calculated. Simple small talk that would keep the attention away from deeper conversation. Logan knew what he was doing, he’d been doing it for years around his fathers ‘friends’. He had learned how to lead a conversation and stay in charge by asking the other questions or by explaining something he knew the other didn’t know much about. 

Luckily for Thomas, there was no need for deep conversation... at least not between Thomas and Logan. He just had to get Logan to come with him. 

“I was looking for you actually!” Thomas panted out, still out of breath from running to the science wing. “I thought, maybe we could go to the park near town hall? Remy will be there too and we can just... hang out?” Thomas hadn’t meant for that last bit to sound like a question, but he was a very, very bad lier and this conversation wasn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped. 

“Why?” Logan asked, explaining himself further before Thomas could answer. “Why would you ask me to come with you? You clearly don’t trust me. You’ll probably enjoy hanging out with Remy more, if I wasn’t present.” The nerd was more observant of others emotions than he gave himself credit for. At that moment Thomas suddenly understood that the only emotions Logan had trouble understanding were his own. He was too observant of others to miss the signs of discomfort or joy.

Oh god... Logan was perfect for Patton. The thought quickly passed through Thomas’s mind, before he had to think of a reason to ask Logan to come with him. 

“You’re right. I didn’t trust you... But... I’ve seen you change since you’ve been part of the group.” Thomas saw Logan’s expression change, before quickly returning to the emotionless mask he wore every day. “And since you’re part of the group, I’m asking you if you want to come to the park with Remy and I.” 

“Yes. I think I would like that.” In all honesty, Logan only said yes so he had an excuse to not be in his dorm room as long as possible. But he had to admit, it felt nice that Thomas called him part of the group. He might as well enjoy it until they would inevitably kick him out, because Patton was more important than he was... Shit Remy knew about Patton! 

“Where is Remy, actually?” Logan asked a little panicky, but not so much that Thomas noticed it. 

“He’ll meet us there.” Logan had trouble reading Thomas’s face as he said that, was that mischief he saw there? Was it really a good idea to go with Thomas? “He, just has to pick somethings up first.” Thomas laughed. “Knowing him, one of those somethings is coffee.”


	11. T&F Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another big chapter, but it didn’t feel right to seperate it in two parts. 
> 
> This is the thing we’ve all waited for! People finally talk about their feelings! It’s aBOUT TIME!!!!
> 
> Some of the events in this chapter might be a bit simular as in chapter 27 of Thrillers and Fairytales ;P

Patton and Remy were walking through the small town. They were on their way to the recently opened Starbucks, until Patton suddenly stopped in front of a rundown store. The teal paint on the windowsill was chipping enough to see that the wood was starting to rot. The white brick walls were slowly turning a dirty green, due to the humid Florida weather and the shop window was sealed off with a big sheet. A for rent/sale sign was taped to the glass. Unfortunately it had been like this for a while.

Patton hated to see the place look like this. It used to be a small toy store with hand made toys, but unfortunately the shop owner had to close the store as he didn’t get enough costumers anymore. Parents much rather went to modern toy stores with the toys their kids had seen in commercials nowadays. Patton couldn’t blame them, but it was still sad to see the rundown store in front of him. It used to be so magical! Especially around Christmas time when there would be a big tree in the middle of the store and kids could hang up their stocking on strings attached to the walls, since there was no fireplace. He remembered that time when Nikki and him got glitter pens and they kept doodling on each other’s arms, so their parents bought them little notebooks. Patton’s was quickly filled with drawings of magical creatures and cats, and magical cats and puppies and... and so on. Nikki however used her notebook to write down stories that she could tell her little brother before bed, and that was how she realized she wanted to write children’s literature. Funny how Nikki’s career started in this, now abandoned store. 

“You good, Pat?” Remy’s question broke through Patton’s thoughts of his childhood. 

“Yeah, just reminiscing.” Patton sighed. “Sometimes it’s easier to think about and get stuck in the past than to look forward towards the present and the future.” The pair had started walking again and were now nearing the recently opened Starbucks. 

“Jeez when did you get so deep and mysterious?” Remy huffed. He knew the answer. Patton didn’t want to face Logan in the future, so he was hiding in memories of the past. 

“I don’t know... I must have become an ocean!” Patton laughed. Hiding his confession from earlier with humor as he usually did. 

“Oh really?! If you are an ocean then why are you such an airhead?” Remy teased Patton to distract him from thinking to negatively. For this whole plan to work. Patton had to go exactly where Remy wanted him to. And that meant Remy couldn’t chase him away, by asking what Patton was really feeling.

“Because I’m a very BUBBLY person, Rem, and bubbles flow to the top. You should know this by now!” Patton was glad Remy didn’t question his dramatic speech about reminiscing the past. Really glad.

The two walked into the Starbucks and ordered their drinks. Strangely enough Remy ordered 3 drinks. And although Patton knew Remy had money to spare, 3 drinks seemed a bit much. 

“That’s a lot of caffeine, Rem. Are you planning on staying up till 4 pm without taking a nap, or?” 

“Oh they’re not all for me, gurl!” Remy almost purred. “We’re meeting Thomas at the park near town hall.” 

“That still leaves one coffee.” Patton was starting to freak out now. Thomas KNEW! He knew everything that had happened. What if he slipped up and accidentally told Remy! Remy is family, but also annoying family, the kind of family that wouldn’t let you live it down if you screwed up in front of your crush. And Logan wasn’t just an ordinary crush... he was a gay crush. 

“One coffee for when I finish my other coffee you dork!” Remy almost said it too quickly... like he had thought about his answer before he even ordered the coffees... And before Patton could question him about it. Something was going on... Patton just wasn’t sure what it was. What could Remy - I’d rather be in bed - Davide have planned? 

Thomas and Logan had been walking through the park for a while before Thomas suddenly halted. Logan turned to him in confusion. 

“Is there a problem?” The grin on Thomas’s told Logan there wasn’t a problem even before Thomas could answer. But the grin also made the mischief Logan had seen on Thomas’s face resurface. It was clear Thomas had seen something that Logan hadn’t yet... until he followed Thomas’s gaze to the people walking up to them. 

Suddenly Logan understood why Patton always ran away from him. Logan had never wanted to run away from someone as much as he wanted to right now, seeing Remy walking towards them. Wearing his usual black leather jacket. Sure enough, Remy was carrying coffee... something else he brought with him was... Patton. Patton with his softly curling dark brown hair and big brown Bambi eyes. Patton wearing a striped light blue rugby shirt, sneakers and straight cut jeans. Patton... the one person he can’t bare to lose. 

It took a bit longer for Patton to realize. He was talking with Remy while chatting about some random dogs at the park’s entrance when Remy stopped to share a look with Thomas, who was walking towards them with a reluctant Logan in tow.

“There they are.” Remy suddenly spoke, interrupting Patton’s gushing over cute dogs. 

“They? Did Thomas bring someone with him?” Patton didn’t expect Thomas to bring anybody, but to be honest he didn’t expect Remy to show up at his door this morning, taking him out for coffee and then to the park to meet up with Thomas. And apparently a mystery person as well. At least it explained the extra coffee.

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Patton looked up to see that there were indeed two people walking up to them

“I know them?” Patton asked. He could sort of make out Thomas, because he knew it had to be him, but he wasn’t sure about the slightly taller person walking next to him. It couldn’t be Joan or Talyn as they were both shorter than Thomas was.

“Maybe you could ask him if you can borrow his glasses?” The mention of glasses made Patton’s head snap back towards Remy. 

Male, slightly taller than Thomas, wearing dark colors and glasses. It had to be... No! Patton couldn’t deal with this right now! Remy didn’t know but Thomas did and this would all be so awkward.

“What?” Patton gasped. His voice wavering slightly.

By now thomas had reached Patton and Remy, with Logan still walking a few steps behind. He grabbed the coffee Remy held out towards him. The two shared a look with each other before Remy nodded, grabbed Thomas’s hand and ran off, with Thomas close behind him. Leaving a confused Patton and Logan behind. 

“So... hi?” Patton managed to get out of his mouth after a struggle with his mind, that consisted of one part wanting to confess his love for Logan all over again, before he would be able to accept the inevitable heartbreak and the other part that wanted him to run away now and just drop out and change schools. 

“Hello Patton.” Logan responded. It wasn’t as calm and calculated as Logan normally spoke and carried a hint of anxiety or maybe that was disgust... oh god Logan hated Patton. 

“Uhm... I guess Remy bought you a coffee.” Patton extended his arm holding the full cup of coffee out for Logan to take. Patton could see Logan’s hand shake while he took the take out Starbucks cup. 

The silence that followed was unbearable for the always hyperactive Patton and the glasses wearing nerd Logan, who had gotten used to all the cute sounds Patton would normally make to break silences like this. 

“I get it.” Patton finally said. “I shouldn’t have said the things I did... You hate me now. I’ve ruined our friendship and... I’ll get out of your way!” Patton was about to walk away again when Logan grabbed his wrist. It was the first time Patton had ever seen Logan initiating physical contact, and the close resemblance it had to them holding hands caused a bomb filled with rainbow colored confetti to explode in Patton’s stomach. 

“No Patton, I am the one who should apologize.” Logan said still holding Patton’s wrist even though the other man had already turned around to face him again and was clearly not going anywhere as long as Logan was talking. “I reacted badly to your confession, making you jump to a conclusion and feel like you wouldn’t be able to be yourself around me anymore. Although I must remind you that I am still friends with Ella, even after she came out as bisexual. What I’m trying to say here is that I will not hate you for your sexual orientation.” That was definitely a relief for Patton, but it still wasn’t enough. Or maybe it was. Logan would accept him for who he was. They could still be friends, just nothing more than that. Logan didn’t feel the same way. Patton could live with that... right? 

Logan let go of Patton’s wrist, only just realizing he was still holding it. A faint blush became visible on his cheeks and Patton could only think about wanting to see Logan like this more often. His guard down and his mask forgotten at whatever masquerade he was attending before. 

“It’s okay... the way you reacted I mean.” Patton knew Logan probably wanted to let him down easy and to not hurt him to much, but Patton just had to hear Logan say that he didn’t like him that way so he could move on and-

“No, it really wasn’t.” Logan interrupted Patton’s thoughts. “Though I often have trouble understanding feelings. I totally understand why you would feel insecure and embarrassed about something like...” (liking me that way, out of all people.) “that...” 

“Listen, Logan... I know you don’t like me that way, but please!” Patton actually begged Logan.

“Please what, Patton?” Logan’s reaction was a bit cold, but the feeling of rejection still lingered in his mind and he just couldn’t help crawling back in his shell.

“Please just say it out loud! Say you don’t like me so we can move past this.” Even Patton wanted to move past it. Logan thought bitterly after hearing Patton say it.

“You do understand that me telling you... that, won’t make your feelings magically disappear right?” 

“I know... but... just say it anyway! Say you don’t like me”

“But I do like you, you are the best friend I have ever had. You... you see things in me nobody else, not even me, knew were there!” That was true, they both knew it. Only for Logan it meant more than Patton could ever believe it did.

“You know I meant it differently. You don’t like like me, you don’t have romantic feelings for me! Just say it please!” Patton was close to tears now and his reaction almost made Logan give in and lie to him.

“I don’t... I...” Patton was looking at him desperately, he needed this. Logan would break his heart, but at least he now knows he’s gay right? Something questionably good to take away from this whole experience. He heard Logan sigh and was about to tell him that it was okay and that it wouldn’t hurt him that much, as he was expecting it, when Logan started speaking again. “I cannot tell you that. As that would be a lie and therefore would be unfair towards the both of us.” It was as if something had snapped in Logan and he could no longer pretend that he didn’t really care about feelings anymore.

Patton did not expect to hear that. Was Logan serious? Did he actually mean what he said?! He had to say something now, didn’t he? ...What do you say after hearing something like that? Something in him told him to say ‘Okay’ and suddenly he understood Logan’s reaction. He understood everything now. Logan had the same doubts he had and when Patton confessed he loved him, those doubts had only grown! Which is weird if you think about it logically, but at this moment neither of them could do that.

“Sorry I made things awkward again... I’ll take my leave.” With that Logan slowly took a step back.

No no no! Patton had to stop Logan somehow... what was something Logan couldn’t say no to... that’s it! 

“Feelings. Word association game, Go!” 

“What? Patton?”

“Logan.” Logan could see the determination in Patton’s eyes. They had been circling around this for far too long now. And maybe if they played this right...

“Love” Logan’s answer once again, made Patton giddy and made him feel a million butterflies in his stomach. 

“Butterflies” Patton could only hope Logan knew about butterfly kisses, you know with the eyelashes and-

“Rhopalocera” Logan said with a smirk and a challenging look in his eyes.

“That’s not a feeling... I hope... I have no idea what that is...” Patton stammered. 

“It’s the scientific name for butterfly. Thereby the thing you wanted me to say isn’t a feeling either.”

“Oh yeah?! Well what did I want you to say?” Patton said blinking excessively, while looking up through his eyelashes.

“Kiss” Logan said, as if he just proved his point to be correct in a debate.

“You?” Patton asked. It was insecure and soft, like an counter argument that wasn’t believable. However Logan didn’t see it that way. He saw it as a shy debate parter sealing the deal with an argument that nobody could deny. So, Logan didn’t deny it.

“Yes” 

Both leaned in slowly until Patton enthusiastically closed the gap between them, which caused Logan to chuckle against Patton’s lips. Their first kiss was short, but sweet and both men were sure that it wouldn’t be their last. 

As Logan raised his coffee cup to take the first sip of his now lukewarm drink, Patton suddenly saw the writing on the cup, hidden by that cardboard thing you put around a cup so you don’t burn your hands. He alerted Logan of it and when he took the cardboard thing off and they could read what it said, it became painfully obvious that all of this was one big setup. 

In Remy’s handwriting it said: “Have a nice date! xoxo remzzzz and Thomzzzz”


	12. (Boy)’friend’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a fluffy chapter with some playful banter... oh wait... when did facism get involved?

“You did what?!” Thomas screeched out after hearing about a part of the plan Remy hadn’t told him before. “Remy... why?” 

“What? I just wrote ‘have a nice date’ on Logan’s coffee cup. What’s the big deal?” Remy asked confused about his boyfriend making such a big deal out of a little bit of writing on coffee cup. 

“What if all this goes wrong and they just want to be friends? Did you think of that?” Logan’s so daft he would probably think he meant date as in a date on a calendar, Remy thought, but he didn’t say that out loud seeing that his boyfriend wasn’t really in the mood for sarcastic comments.

“Come on Thomas, we both know those two are head over heals for each other! Besides, I wrote it on a place covered by that cardboard thingy.” The name of which temporarily escaping Remy’s mind, which was almost impossible since Remy new everything about coffee. 

“Behind the coffee sleeve?” Thomas felt proud for knowing something Remy didn’t about coffee, but he didn’t know it only counted as the perfect reminder for him.

“Yes, behind the coffee sleeve, also known as cup sleeve, coffeeclutch, coffee cozy, hot cup jacket, paper zarf, coffee collar, coffee cup sleeve, or just simply as cupholder.” Remy smirked. He definitely wasn’t one to get outsmarted on coffeeology.

“Does that really have that many names?” Thomas wasn’t really sure if Remy had just made that all up, but he sounded very convincing.

“Trust me darling, I know my coffee accessories” Remy said with a self confident grin. “And you have to trust me on this one!” 

“Okay, I’ll trust that you know that a round piece of cardboard could be called a hot cup coat.” Thomas said returning Remy’s grin with one of his own.

“Hot cup jacket!” Remy said with mock annoyance clear in his voice. “And babes, I meant the whole ‘Logicality’ date thing”

“Logicality?” Thomas wasn’t sure if this was a new type of dating or that his boyfriend had forgotten to say logically.

“Yup.” Remy popped the p excitedly. “You know Logan is Logic, Patton is Morality, together they can be Logicality. I just thought of it right now and I must say I am a genius when it comes to nicknames!” 

“Are you now?” Thomas asked raising an eyebrow, knowing that Remy still hadn’t given Thomas an actual nickname like every member of their little group had. 

“Shut it Thombelina” both men laughed as they continued their way back to college, hoping their plan to get their friends together had been a success. 

And a success it was. Logan and Patton had talked everything out while walking through the park, occasionally linking their hands together. They may have also kissed each other a few more times, to taste each others coffees and get familiar with the taste of each other’s mouths. Everything was going great until Logan suddenly got a call on his cellphone. 

“Ah the curse of always being available. You know I’m usually all for technological development, but this sure has it’s negatives.” 

“Don’t say that Lo! If I had a phone I would message you every moment we’re apart... was that too much? Sorry I get excited easily.” In the time Patton was rambling, in a very cute manner if you’d ask Logan how he’d describe it, Logan had seen the number ID on his phone. He put a finger in front of his mouth to silence Patton, before picking up.

“Hello father.” The cold facade, he had dropped around Patton, was immediately back in place. Patton shivered hearing Logan talk like this to his own family, no wonder he didn’t know how to interact with people in a friendly and kind manner for the longest time.

“Logan, please be in my office in five minutes.” Even with usage of the word please, the question still sounded like a command and Logan knew he would regret it if he didn’t do what his father said. Still he didn’t want to have to say goodbye to his boyfriend (oh god was he ever going to get used to calling Patton that?), just yet.

“Father, Campus is more than five minutes away from your office.” It wasn’t a lie, but Logan wasn’t exactly at campus at the moment.

“Don’t you think I don’t know that son?” Logan could hear the disgust in his father’s voice when he scoffed out that sentence. “I can see you from my office as we speak, so you better get here. Fast.” Logan shuddered as he realized what this conversation was probably going to be about. “And Logan? Don’t even think about bringing your ‘friend’ along. 

“Yes sir. I will be there in five minutes.” Logan sighed as he pushed the end call button. “I am sorry that I will have to cut our meeting short, Patton. It appears my father requires my assistance.”

“Logan?” Patton sounded concerned after Logan remained distant towards him, after his father’s call. “What did he say? Did something bad happen?” 

“Something bad might happen.” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose from under his glasses. “Pat, could you go back to your house or the dormitory, or wherever you want to go really. I uhm... have to go now.”

“Sure, do I see you at our dorm room tonight.” Patton asked. Something in Logan’s eyes made him worried. Made him think that maybe Logan was regretting the things that had happened this afternoon.

“I will try to be there tonight, yes.” Logan’s answer eased only part of Patton’s nerves as he still knew there was something bothering his boyfriend (oh gosh Logan was actually his boyfriend now!). 

“Okay, see you later, Lo!” Patton tried to be as enthusiastic as always, but even Logan could see that this conversation was bothering him.

“See you later, Patton... don’t worry, everything will be okay.” Logan’s statement was meant to help ease Patton’s mind, but did quite the opposite as it should be ‘everything is okay’ and not ‘will be okay’. Still the two men parted ways without a goodbye kiss or even a hug. Patton was already thinking of ways to cheer Logan up, before Logan had disappeared from his slightly blurry sight. 

It didn’t take Logan much more than two minutes to reach town hall. It had been a stupid mistake on his part to remain in the park, his dad could clearly see from his office window. Logan could already predict how this conversation would go. Tense pleasantries followed by something about Ella, leading towards why he was holding hands and kissing a guy, in public too. Then they would probably both get mad, but they won’t scream at each other as they are in a workspace with other people who are not to be hindered from doing their job as efficiently as possible. The conversation would either end with Logan getting away, or with him storming off on his own account. 

With one minute to spare, Logan stood in front off the big white double doors towards his father’s office. An over the top way to show that he was in power over everyone else in this building. Just like the big doors in Rome, build after 1935, during the Fascist Regime’s later years, to capture the grandeur and the sheer enormity of ancient Rome. But Logan really shouldn’t waste time comparing his father’s rule over town hall with fascism right now. He knocked on one of the doors, as it would be illogical to knock on both, and waited for his father to call him inside.


	13. That is statistically incorrect.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton gets flustered and Logan has to face his father (who in some parts sounds a little like Deceit for some reason, but it isn’t him)

Patton didn’t like the look on Logan’s face, before they parted ways. Not one bit. So he did the most logical thing he could think of. He called Logan’s ex. Patton always carried a little book with phone numbers around with him, in case of emergency and he had gotten Estrella’s number from Logan when they were still together. If there was anyone who would have the slightest idea of what was going on, it would be Ella. So as soon as he got home he called her. 

“Yo, I’m gonna be completely frank with ya here. I don’t know this number, so I’m about to hang up on you, but I’ll give you about ten seconds to explain yourself, just to humor you a bit.” That was definitely not what Patton was expecting to hear, but he guessed that if you have number recognition you might as well use it. He was probably lucky she even picked up.

“You’re gonna be Frank? I thought your name was Estrella.” Patton chuckled at his own joke as he heard Ella sigh from the other side of the line. 

“5 seconds.”

“Okay, okay! Hey it’s Patton, you know... like Logan’s roommate?” Well he was a bit more than that by now, but his parents didn’t need to know that, plus it’s a weird thing to tell someone you barely know, that you are now dating their ex. 

“Your time limit has been expanded, please continue, Patton.” Patton would love to continue, but damn his mom was in the same room and he wasn’t really ready for this. Not this way at least.

“Uhm long story short. I was with Logan in the park, after...” our friends set us up. “Our friends ditched us.” Technically it wasn’t a lie, but Patton still felt bad for phrasing it that way. “And suddenly he got a phone call from his dad and he seemed to get really angry and... I was just curious what could cause this kind of behavior towards a father figure?” 

“Why? You planning on becoming one for Logie?” Ella’s suggestive tone turned Patton, who always had a joke to crack in every situation... apart from this one... into a sputtering mess as he flushed a dark red, that got him a weird look from his mom. “Just messin’ with ya, Pat. But yeah, there are somethings that can make Logan hate his father more than anything else. Like that time when he told Logan we couldn’t be friends anymore because after I broke up with him I came out as bi.” That would explain a lot, Patton though, but how would his father know?

The conversation went on for a little while, but since he didn’t feel comfortable to explain everything over the phone with his mom in the same room as him, they agreed to meet at Patton and Logan’s dorm room. This was going to be a weird introduction between the two of them, if the phone conversation was anything to go by. 

“Ah Logan, come in.” His father’s tone sounded almost pleasant, but Logan knew that would change soon. “Took you long enough.” Edward Mitchell stated as he rose from his chair in an attempt to intimidate his son. Unfortunately for him, Logan had all seen it before. Logan knew a lot about handling situations like this, where he had to make himself seem more capable than even he himself believed he was. So Logan straightened his back and pushed his shoulders back before answering his father. 

“You gave me five minutes to get here, sir.” 

“Doesn’t mean you get to take your time! You could have been here in three.” Edward stated before walking over to his son, who was standing in the middle of his office, glaring at the furniture around him. Logan knew he was supposed to keep eye contact in these kind of situations, but he was already furious with his father, before he had actually said anything about Patton, and Logan really didn’t want to explode on his father before getting a proper reason to do so.

Logan took in his father’s collection of stupid little statues and other memorabilia. They were things given to him at those parties that were only held to establish dominance and strengthen business/political ties. People really gave the weirdest things at those parties. Some people were normal and gave a bottle of wine or an expensive whiskey, while others thought it was a great idea to give the host some kind of artwork made out of shark teeth, a bronze cheese grater, a wooden duck or a mug with ‘Florida’s best mayor’ on it. All those weird gifts found a place on the shelfs at Edward Mitchell’s office. Logan’s gifts never did. They were never placed on display in his father’s office. As a kid he had seen it as a challenge, to make an even better work of art next time, so it would be good enough to end up between these walls. But the only reason these knick knacks made it was politics. It was always politics. Sure this place was an office of someone working in politics, the mayor of the city, but it’s not like it was any different at home. The only thing that Logan had ‘made’ that was displayed at his childhood home was his high school diploma. Just to show of to others how smart their son was. 

Logan’s thinking was interrupted by his father’s first question towards him. This was going to be a long afternoon.

“How’s Estrella doing these days? Are you still in contact with her?” So far his father was following his regular script. Trying to blame others for the behavior of his son, while also stating that Logan is weak for just doing what others want him to do, even if that is exactly how his father would like him. 

“Yes I am. She’s doing fine.” Logan kept his answers short. His voice sharp as a knife, or maybe as sharp as a katana, like the one hanging on one of the office walls. Had that been another gift someone had given his father? And if that was the case... did they have a dead wish?

“She hasn’t been trying to persuade you to her side has she?” 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean, sir.” And although Logan understood perfectly clear what his father meant, he also didn’t. Estrella was bi, technically she didn’t choose a side, therefore stating that Logan was persuaded to her side, would probably leave him somewhere at the sidelines. Would Patton be proud of his pun? Probably not... it wasn’t really good. Logan should stop thinking about Patton. Try and keep him out of the conversation for as long as possible.

“Really? Who was the young men you were in the park with? Was it a friend of her? Someone from college perhaps.” Okay so Patton wouldn’t be kept out of the conversation for as long as possible... great... thanks dad.

“That’s none of your business.” He would have told his father straight (ha) out that it was his boyfriend and his name was Patton, as nothing would ruffle his feathers more, but Logan had to be careful, his father could make his college drop Patton’s scholarship, which Logan was fairly certain that Patton got, because from what he has seen Patton doesn’t have a lot of money. And if that didn’t work the mayor could probably find another way to get Patton kicked out of school. 

“Oh? Because they were quite intimate with my little boy, which kind of makes it my business, Logan!” Ha. ‘My little boy’ Logan hadn’t been called that in a while. Did his father really think this would get him to talk... okay, maybe it worked a little bit. His father had probably already seen most of what had happened in the park anyway, if he chose to use the word ‘intimate’ 

“He’s a friend of mine.” Not a lie, romantic partners can and should also be your friend. Otherwise a relationship is doomed to fail, or turn abusive. 

“Just a friend?”

“Up until earlier today, yes.” Logan mumbled under his breath. Again something he shouldn’t do in these sorts of conversations, but he couldn’t help it, as it probably irritated his father even more that Logan didn’t know how to stand as if he was the bigger person. Logan had moved towards a wall and started to absentmindedly play with the zipper of his backpack. The bronze cheese grater staring him in the face, while he was trying to look everywhere but at his father.

“What about right now?” Logan was about to say something, when his father decided to add to his question. “I would be very careful with what you’re about to say young man!”

“Why? It does not matter as whatever I say, you will manage to use against me somehow!” Logan hadn’t meant to scream, he just wanted to raise his voice a little, but the amount of sound coming from the reasonable small man shocked both men into silence for a moment. However Logan knew that it would last long, before his father had to show who was the boss around here.

“I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from you, young man!” The mayor was really angry now, especially since he had to raise his voice to be louder than his son’s. He could no longer look at the student standing in front of his knick knack cabinet, with his back turned towards his father and his hands grabbing one of the shelfs to ground himself. Always so weak with his unfounded anxieties. Yes he was just screamed at but still. He was the one who started screaming in the first place. Something which is highly unprofessional. Mr. Mitchell would have to be the bigger man in this situation. As always. 

“Just tell me why I am here so we can get this over with!” Logan wasn’t panicking, like his father thought. He was furious with his father. Why couldn’t they have a normal conversation about something like this for once.

“No son of mine will ever date a man!” There it was. That one sentence the older Mitchell had been dancing around this for entire conversation. Also the one sentence Logan had to hear before realizing that for once he didn’t care about what his father said about him. This ‘date’ with Patton was one of the best things that had ever happened to Logan. And if his father couldn’t be happy for him, if he was a disappointment in his father’s eyes? Well Logan didn’t care. As long as he could finish college, as long as Patton could finish college as well. Then everything would be fine. He just had to live through one more year of his father screaming at him that he was a disappointment. Strange... his father actually hadn’t used that word yet.

“That is statistically incorrect.” Logan always liked pointing out statistics, but this time it left a sour taste in his mouth. How had he ever been able to look up to this man standing in front of him? From the quick peak he took over his shoulder, Logan could see that his father’s head was red and swollen from anger, which made his white shirt seem almost too tight around the neck. Somehow he looked a little like a cartoon character, not that Logan watched those sort of things, but Patton did. 

“You are an utter disappointment of a son. You can’t do nothing right and you’ll never amount to anything.” His father started another angry rant and In any other situation Logan would point out the double negative in that sentence, but right now he had heard enough and was done arguing. He zipped up his backpack again as he thought for a moment about what he would say to effectively end their argument.

“We will discus this further once the both of us have calmed down.” The ice was back in Logan’s voice, and when he turned around to face his father again his face lacked any form of emotion. With a pleasant but fake smile Logan wished his father a good afternoon, before leaving the office. He had a boyfriend to get back to.


	14. Hand it over.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it takes setbacks and talking about those setbacks to help a relationship blossom into something more. 
> 
> Basically a chapter to show the importance of talking important (personal) things through early in a (romantic) relationship.
> 
> This chapter was verry frustrating to write, but I do love the end result!

“Okay Lo, hand it over.” If he was honest, that was not the reaction Logan had expected entering the dorm room he shared with his now boyfriend. It also wasn’t the voice he had expected to hear. 

“Estrella?” Logan asked confused. “What are you doing here?” 

“Well, your ‘roomie’ over here was afraid you’d either kill a man, or get killed yourself, with how angry you seemed after getting a call from your dad. So he called me, to ask what he was supposed to do about it. It’s quite cute actually.” Estrella chuckled, stood up from her place on Logan’s bed and walked up to him. “Unlucky for you, I know what you’re like when you get THAT angry, so...” Estrella lifted her arm and opened her hand with the palm facing up. “Hand it over.” Her voice was dangerous and her eyes gleamed a serious and dominant gleam. 

Patton was almost afraid that Logan was doing drugs or that he maybe actually killed a man and would hand her a bloody knife. And if it was one of those things and Ella knew about it all along then that would make things extra creepy. Would they kill Patton because he knew too much? He hoped not... he liked Logan... a lot... and talking with Ella earlier wasn’t that bad either. She had been really nice to him, even when he told her he was now dating her ex. Patton started wondering what kind of man he was dating? He knew he would find the answer in the object in Logan’s bag. 

Patton held his breath as he saw Logan reluctantly opening up his backpack and pulling out a... a wooden duck?!

“What?” Patton almost whispered, with how quietly he asked the question. That was about one of the last things he expected being in Logan’s bag. It scored even lower than a puppy or a very small elephant. He was pulled from his confused state by Estrella laughing, hard. 

“Okay, I have to admit. That’s the weirdest thing you ever stole from someone you were angry with.” Estrella managed to say between her laughing fits. 

“It was either this or some weird glorified cheese grater.” Logan mumbled while looking at the ground. He looked like a little kid who’s parents were scolding him for steeling candy from those big ‘mix your own candy bag’ walls at some stores. Not that Patton knew what that was like, as that totally didn’t happen to him when he was seven. pfft, no not at all. 

But Ella wasn’t scolding Logan. She seemed to clearly enjoy the fact that Logan had stolen something. But stealing things was bad. Patton knew that much (now). He just kept looking at the two exes? No, friends. In pure and utter confusion. Until Ella noticed him. 

“Oh, sorry I completely forgot to tell you this earlier, but when Logan gets really mad at someone... he turns into a giant klepto and steals something from them out of spite! He’s been doing it for forever and it always cracks me up to see what he comes back from arguments with! ...That might have been the reason I wanted to stay and wait until he got back. I just had to see what he would steal from his father’s office this time! I can’t believe that man hasn’t noticed the things going missing from there yet, with all the arguments they get in! Anyway I’ll be off now! Have fun with your wooden duck, love birds!”

After Estrella closed the door behind her, both men were left staring at the wooden duck, before bursting out with laughter. At least hearing Patton laugh, together with the absurdity of the situation, was doing wonders for Logan’s mood. 

“Are you okay, Logic?” Patton asked, after the laughing had died down. Ella had told him to try and get Logan to talk about the conversation he had had with his father, even though the chance that he would say something was infinitesimal. 

“Yes. This is not the first fight I have had with my father and I firmly believe it will not be the last either.” The anger he felt earlier was slowly seeping back into Logan’s system and Logan was trying his best not to show Patton. An effort that seemed to be wasted, as Patton was very good at seeing through people who were hiding their emotions... maybe a bit too good, but that’s not the point right now.

“That’s not normal Logan... you can’t always fight with your father.” Patton, poor naive Patton, who had never had any real problems with his parents so far, couldn’t imagine constantly fighting with someone who had raised you. 

“We don’t always fight, Patton.” A lie. A clear and obvious lie. Even Logan didn’t believe himself when he said it. And he knew he was a great liar otherwise. 

“Not according to Ella.” Even if Logan had sounded somewhat believable when he said they didn’t always argue, he knew that Patton would believe Ella over him on this matter.

“She doesn’t know about every conversation I have ever had with my father.” Logan had to admit that was not the best argument he had ever given, but maybe Patton would buy it? Just for tonight. 

“You know that when you phrase it that way you already make it sound like you fight more often than not?” Or maybe Patton wouldn’t buy it at all. Welp it was worth the shot. Maybe Logan should give him a bit more information, just so Patton would leave it be for tonight. 

“I won’t deny that. Although, this time was slightly different.” Logan sat down next to Patton on Patton’s bed, so they could talk to each other on eye level.

“Logan...” Patton was about to tell Logan to stop making excuses for his father. It was clear that whatever his father had said to him, had hurt Logan and he shouldn’t say that this conversation wasn’t as bad as others-

“It was about us, Patton.” “He saw us in the park.” Well, there is no going back now. 

“Oh.” So he wasn’t trying to say the argument wasn’t as bad as others... it really was different.

“Yeah...” Patton was at a loss for words himself, but hearing Logan give a one word response was a rarity.

“What... what did you tell him? I won’t be mad if you lied! I’d totally understand that!” Patton couldn’t really say it would hurt him, as he hadn’t even told his own parents yet. Still he hoped that if push came to shove, Logan would defend their quickly developing relationship. Patton himself would do that... he thinks... he isn’t really sure as something like that has never happened yet and... they haven’t even been together for 12 hours yet!

“I... I didn’t tell him who you were, or how I knew you.” Despite what Patton said earlier Logan still saw a sadness spread over Patton’s features. A sadness he never wanted to see there again. “I did that to protect you. My father has a large number of contacts at this college, and from the context clues I have seen I believe you do not have the financial means to continue your studies, if he were to know who you are.”

Patton would be slightly offended if Logan hadn’t been the one who told him that and if it wasn’t so true, because without his scholarship he would never be able to continue his studies. 

“So... we are going to keep this whole thing between us a secret?” It was the easy thing to do, but that didn’t mean that Patton liked it. He suddenly understood why all his ex girlfriends had wanted to be so affectionate in public. To show the world the special thing two people who were in love could share.

“Is that what you desire?” It wasn’t. Neither of them could imagine their relationship remaining secret for long.

“I... I don’t think so... not forever at least!” Patton said, and he meant it. Even if this whole thing would only last a month and was just a phase, Patton would never be able to not tell anyone about the things that happened and the love he had felt for Logan Mitchell. 

“Forever is an impossible measurement of time as nothing lasts that long, but I appreciate the sentiment.” Logan chuckled. “And I don’t mind going public, with whatever is going on between us.”

“You mean love?”

“I believe I do.”

“Good.” Patton said as he wrapped his arms around Logan and pushed him down so the two were laying on Patton’s bed together. Patton’s head on Logan’s chest. It was new, both men not entirely sure what to do, but they knew it felt right. Especially when Logan’s hand found his way into Patton’s hair and was slowly rubbing his head. Yeah this felt great. 

There was however one question left on Patton’s mind. A question that remained clear, cutting through the hazed thoughts and feelings of pure love and adoration. 

“Logan?”

“Yes Patton?” 

“What are we gonna do with the duck?” Both men laughed softly in response to the odd, but reasonable question.

“How about we’ll figure that out tomorrow?”

“Good idea. You’re so smart Logan.” And that might have been the first time Logan had heard that about him, without it being said sarcastically or there being a ‘but’ involved. 

The rest of the night was spend cuddling close to each other, and maybe eventually, when the serious topics had all passed and they were talking about silly stuff like music and books, the cuddles turned into kisses, which turned into a make out session, as the two were starting to get to know each other’s bodies


	15. Operation: Quick Unsupervised Anatidae Circulation as Karma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton describes the main events happening during the Great Duck Game of 1999 in his diary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew it feels good to come back to this story. Writing has been really difficult for me lately so I decided to focus on the story I needed to make progress with most and that was without a doubt this one!

It took a few weeks, and a lot of convincing from Patton’s side (ha), before our two lead characters decided what to do with the infamous wooden duck, that now carried the name ‘Ducky Mallard.’ Patton had come up with the first part of the name, as the wooden statue was a duck, upon which Logan had said that it was a Mallard duck. Patton decided to combine the two into the name ‘Ducky Mallard’ a name that probably woodn’t stick, according to Patton and his wooden duck puns, since they were the only ones who knew it and their plan involved giving the duck away and starting a college wide game of duck tag. How that went? Well... something like this!

\- - - - - - - - - - - -  
Patton’s super awesome pat-tastic diary 

—  
December 4th 1999

Beginning of the duckkening of our little college.

Last night operation Quick Unsupervised Anatidae Circulation as Karma, or Q.U.A.C.K, commenced. I came up with the name after Logan told me the scientific name for duck, he was impressed with my use of big words and has yet to figure out that it’s an acronym :P 

We printed the posters in the college library and stuck them on the walls around the campus. I’m not sure how Lo got the keys to the science wing, but we’ve managed to hang them up there too! Tomorrow we will try to get them in the other wings as well! 

Soon everyone will know about Ducky Mallard! Maybe I’ll keep one of the posters and put it in this diary! 

<3 Patton :) 

—  
December 5th 1999

Hung up more posters today! 

I put one of the posters in here, let’s hope it doest get lost like the card with the cute colorful spiky egg creature I found last month! 

<3 Patton :)

Poster:  
BE WARNED! 

A game of tag will take over this campus. But not just any regular game of tag.  
This game revolves around a duck, a wooden duck.  
If you find yourself in the possession of this duck you are “it” and nobody wants to be “it”. 

The rules are simple and the game is inescapable. If you at any point have the duck, you’re playing the game. 

\- The duck has to be passed on from one person to the other, without the other person noticing. 

\- If you are “it”, make sure you keep the duck on you at all times. The duck can’t be abandoned as it has separation anxiety. Only exclusion is when you leave the duck in a specific spot for a specific person to find, but you have to be 100% sure the other person will find it there! 

\- The duck is allowed to leave campus grounds, but can only be passed on to someone enrolled in this very college.

\- If you get the duck confiscated, you get it back no matter what, or you’ll remain “it” for the rest of your life. 

The duck will appear on campus within the following week and the game is on until the new millennium commences. Make sure you don’t have the duck by the time midnight strikes, or the game organizers will find a way to punish you. 

Good duck.

—  
December 6th 1999

Logan has figured out I made our name for the operation an acronym for quack. He’s now hitting himself in the head with a pocket dictionary... Should I be worried?

<3 Patton :)

—  
December 7th 1999

People are talking about the duck game constantly! Everyone is on edge waiting for the duck to appear! I’m so excited!!!!!!

Logan said we’re sneaking the duck into Remy’s bag tomorrow.  
Wish us luck!!!

<3 Patton

—  
December 8th 1999

Remy has the duck!!! He doesn’t know we put it in his bag, but everyone knows Remy has it now as he found out inside the cafeteria and actually screamed. It was really funny! You should have seen it! 

Nobody knows who started the game, but the game is on!

<3 Patton :)

—  
December 16th 

I have the duck again :O  
Someone hid it in my library locker! I don’t know who did it, but it must have been someone who knew the super secret code I always use on those lockers you can change the code per use on!  
On another note ;P  
I’m going on a quest to find out who knows my sister’s birthday is on the first of April 0401

<3 Patton :)

—  
December 17th 1999

Logan is no longer mad at me for hiding the acronym from him... it’s a little suspicious.

I also managed to sneak the duck into Talyn’s hairstyling bag! That thing is really big! Hope I’ll manage to avoid getting the duck back before the new year! 

<3 Patton :)

—  
December 18th 1999

Talyn got mad they got the duck back after just giving it to Logan the other day... and Remy said something about Logan familiarizing himself with my family... 

I think Lo broke into my locker to give me the duck... Welp I think we’re even now! 

<3 Patton :)

—  
December 23th 1999

Professors never really liked the duck game, but now Callahan has confiscated the duck from Richard Ice. I heard Ducky Mallard has been returned to the mayor :(

Scratch that. Logan just walked in with the duck. He won’t tell me how he got it back, but he did say that we have to change our game plan. 

Time to make a new poster!

<3 Patton :)

New poster! 

The rules of the game have changed.

Dear participants of the duck game. As you may know the duck has been confiscated, but fear not! The duck has escaped it’s confides and is now freely moving around campus and neighboring towns. If you spot the duck you must do the following.

\- leave the duck in it’s current location for an hour while you protect it from people outside of the game. 

\- Protect it with your life, No matter what happens or where you need to be.

\- after that hour you’re allowed to take the duck with you to a safe location. 

\- however the duck does not like being in held captive for longer than 24 hours, as it enjoys it’s freedom. 

\- therefore you must release the duck the next day in a different location from where you found it, for another student to find. 

\- the game continues until the creators of the game decide otherwise and give the current duck protector a sign to stop the game and hand the duck over. 

\- if someone pretends to be the creator of the game to stop it prematurely... we’ll know. 

—  
December 25th 1999

Had a great Christmas at my parents house! I’m glad I brought you with me diary! Or I wouldn’t be able to write today, as I’m sleeping at my parents’. 

Nikki is here too and of course she brought Michael and Virgil, oh and Remy is here too for some reason... apparently he had a fight with his parents, but he won’t say what it was about... 

Anyway, Virgil has grown up so much! He’s 1 year old now and he can already say a few words! He also always looks around with those adorable big and curious eyes of his and is constantly aware of everything happening around him! It’s just like he’s a very curious puppy! That can kinda speak! I love my family. 

<3 Patton :) 

—  
December 26th 1999

A random present appeared under the Christmas tree last night after everyone went to bed. It had my name on it so I was super excited!  
Can you guess what it was??!!

It was THE DUCK! 

Apparently I’m the second on duck duty! As Remy had found it on campus yesterday when he had to grab some things. I wonder if that means Logan is still there during the holidays... anyway I had to sit in the living room with the duck on my lap for an hour as I wasn’t allowed to move it! 

Tomorrow I’m going to drive to the park to place the duck there. I’m sure someone will find it! Maybe I’ll even place it by the pond so people who don’t know about the game will think it’s just a normal duck! ;-) 

<3 Patton :)


	16. Ending the year with a BANG

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I think ‘why must authors always hurt their characters so much?’. Other times I’m the author mwuhahaha
> 
> (I should make t-shirts with this quote xD)
> 
> Also... sorry I guess...

Logan had managed to avoid his family during Christmas by staying on campus. He didn’t mind. He always preferred being alone anyway. He could always sit in his dorm preparing himself for the next semester using the books he got from the library. He didn’t mind it one bit that he was alone while all the other students went home to play happy little family around the Christmas tree. Not at all. He didn’t even miss the other students! And he definitely didn’t miss... Logan looked at the empty bed on the other side of the room. He didn’t miss Patton... he wasn’t dependent on Patton’s presence. He... okay yes, he did miss Patton. He did miss the buzz that usually filled the hallways of the dormitory. He missed the time when his relationship with his parents was sort of normal. In short, he missed a lot of things. 

The only people he had seen during the holidays were the cashier at the grocery store, some renovators and Remy, who had informed him that he had quit college to finally do something he actually liked. After that Remy had left with his belongings and a bag that was suspiciously duck shaped. Logan used to like being alone. He used to like the quiet and didn’t mind too much if people walked out of his life to pursuit their own goals, but now he found that he would miss Remy, and that he also missed his other friends, who were with their families at the moment. The only thing he didn’t miss, was his own family.

Unfortunately for him the 27th of December was the day that town hall held their annual new year’s party and Logan’s father had been quite clear about Logan being there and pretending there was nothing wrong. 

Logan still didn’t want to come, but his father had threatened to find out who this mystery ‘friend’ of him was and Logan couldn’t risk Patton losing his education, because of a stupid family fight. He would just have to suck it up a few more times, after college everything would be fine, he would no longer need to rely on his father and he could be with Patton... at least if Patton still wanted to be with him after college. 

The day of the party arrived sooner than Logan would have liked. And so, one hour before he had to be at town hall, Logan closed his book, styled his hair, made sure his tie was as straight as he was supposed to act that night and left his dorm. The weather was horrible as it had been raining all day and there was no sign of the storm calming down anytime soon. 

Logan opened his umbrella and made his way to his car, where he quickly slid into the leather seat. The drive to town hall was almost scary as the rain caused a very low visibility of the road and any other participants in traffic. Logan was sure he would have slipped off the road a couple of times if it wasn’t for his glasses, quick thinking and the knowledge he had over the way his car drove. Once he arrived at town hall he reluctantly entered the building, hoping to avoid his father as long as possible, but of course he couldn’t be that lucky.

“Ah Logan, I see you made it. What a horrible weather it is out there. I would have sent someone your way to pick you up, but all the reputable companies were already fully booked, and I wouldn’t want you to take just a regular cab.” Edward Mitchell’s almost pleasant voice filled the big reception area. “I hope you had a good drive here.” His father’s voice and the general atmosphere of the party was already giving Logan a headache. He had to play nice, though. He had to mingle and pretend to like it, just for today. Just another year. 

“Salutations father. The drive here was acceptable, although the storm did limit my sight, which caused a small delay in my arrival.” Logan answered his father matter of factly 

“Well it’s good to have you here son, what a shame of all the things that happened with the Lacey’s, I’m sure you miss having a GIRL to accompany you to these sort of events.” After hearing that a couple of girls looked at the mayor, before following his line of sight to his son, mentally judging him to see if he was good enough to try and charm now that he didn’t seem to have a girlfriend. Only then had Logan realized how lucky he was to have had Estrella with him on previous ‘official’ parties and how he missed that security now that he definitely wasn’t going to just bring Patton along. 

“Accompaniment is highly unnecessary in events of this scale. As I do not need a babysitter and I can interact and converse with people on my own account.” Logan simply answered before he finally shook his father’s hand and moved on to kiss his mother on the cheek. 

“Oh Logan... stiff as always. Sometimes I think we should have sent you to those charisma and etiquette lessons when you were younger. But no you just had to go to that little astrology club, didn’t you?”

“It was an astronomy club mother, not astrology.” Logan sighed internally, but didn’t show his mother his frustration.

“Come on now Logie, it’s not like those things are that different. They’re both about space, aren’t they?” 

“Well, kind off, but there are vast differences between-“ Logan’s mother had already stopped to her son’s rambling, but now she also interrupted him, as she saw some old friends entering the reception area. 

“Ah Benjamin and Suzy Orchid, how are you? We haven’t seen each other in ages!” And thus begun a long afternoon of Logan trying to be pleasant to people he couldn’t care less about, while he could have been reeding a book, or visiting his boyfriend, or could have been doing literally anything else then being here.

One couple arrived about an hour into the party and quickly found their way to the little group of people Logan was currently talking with. Some friends of the Lacey’s who hadn’t completely shunned the family after they found out that Ella was bi, as there was always the chance she would end up with a man in the end. 

The couple that had just arrived however, were not so forgiving of Ella’s behavior, so they waddled their way into the conversation by trying to console Logan after his break up. That happened over a year ago! After that Logan started to zone out a bit, until the people who he was originally talking with asked the couple why they arrived an hour late, and all hell broke lose. 

“You see one of those careless drivers had caused an accident. I’m sure it must have been one of those teenagers, maybe a young adult, a college student at most, if he was even accepted at a college.” The lady cackled. “Anyway I’m not trying to say that college students are bad drivers, because I know your not Dearie, but that young man almost hit a dog with his ugly run down red car, probably because he wasn’t paying attention to the road, maybe he was even calling someone on one of those cellular phones. Anyway, so he almost hit a dog, but swerved out just in time to get hit by another car, that was driving perfectly fine until it got hit, but then both the cars blocked off the road, and the police and ambulances didn’t really help so we had to find a way to turn our car around. Anyway it took a long time to find a way around.” She told it in a way as if the accident only hindered her, and wasn’t a serious accident in which people and animals could have died. If they hadn’t. Logan could only hope everyone survived. He also wondered if her husband would ever bring anything into the conversation, or if he would just stand there, looking miserable. 

“Anyway, thank you for reminding me, Ingrid! Logan, I should totally talk to that father of yours. Make sure he sees to it that the young men’s drivers license is revoked! I’ve written down his license plate and all!” She showed the group a page of her notebook with some numbers and letters written on it and Logan’s heart sank. 

He quickly excused himself from the group and entered the public restrooms. Dialing a number on his phone that he never really had to dial before, only like once when he hadn’t shown up as he was still asleep, but that probably was the only time. 

“Logic, babes, what’s up? Didn’t expect to get a call from you. you already miss me back at college?” Remy answered his phone. 

“Remy, I need to know if you are still at the Sanders residence?” Smooth Logan, real smooth. 

“Nope, the bro dude and the sis in law are giving me a ride to Miami, I’m out of here, bitches!” It was quiet for a second as someone else in the car said something to him. “He’s one I’m sure he won’t mind me swearing in front of him!”

“Remy, please, one conversation at the time. I’ve just got a quick question. Is Patton there with you?” 

“Ah, I knew you had some ulterior motive! No he left to the park earlier today, don’t know why with the weather like this, but he said something about feeding the ducks or something.” 

“Shit” Logan mumbled under his breath, as he realized his fear could very well be reality. 

“Wait! Did I just hear Logan Mitchell swear?! Bro get a camera we should get this on record. Mio Dio Mike, I don’t care that you don’t know the guy or that you’re the one driving! Just get a-” 

“Remy, please. This is important. Can you tell me if Patton left to go to the park in his car?” Logan’s voice got a bit higher in annoyance and panic for what might very well has happened 

“Well of course he did! You don’t think he would actually walk to the park in this weather.” As Logan remained silent and Michael’s phone started ringing as well, Remy started to understand that maybe there was a reason why Logan called him to ask if Patton was with him. “Why? Something happened?” 

“Someone at the party I’m at arrived late due to an accident, where a red car was involved in.” At that moment Nikki managed to answer Michael’s cellphone for him. Which caused the two conversations to run through each other. 

“Logan, that could mean anything, you shouldn’t overthink this, I’m sure Patton is fine.” Nikki’s face told Remy otherwise as he turned around to see her sitting in the back nodding along with the person talking to her on the phone. 

“The lady showed me the license plate. I’m certain it was Patton’s car.” Logan brought Remy back to their conversation.

“Next turn right, Mike. We’re going to the hospital. Patton has caused a car accident.” Nikki said panicked and loud enough for Logan to hear. 

“What hospital?” Logan needed to know. He wanted to be there for Patton. He needed to-

“Logan, I’m gonna call you back with some updates later okay?” Remy answered with a guilty look on his face. He understood why Logan wanted to know, but he also knew that Patton was still very much closeted towards his parents and this was not the right way for them to find out. Especially not if they would react the same way as his parents had only a few days earlier.

“Remy, What hospital?!” 

Beep beep beep.


	17. Stupid T9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ugh this chapter is short and bad... just see it as a filler until we get to the fun stuff... and maybe some angst too

Remy Davide: Sorry bout earlier 

Logic: I hope you have a good reason for doing that.

Remy Davide: I’ll tell you later, you wanna know how Hats doing?

Remy Davide: *Pats stupid T9 

Logic: That would be appreciated, unlike your terrible grammar. 

Remy Davide: Rude! Anyway this is costing to much call credit. So shirt version.

Logic: Shirt?

Remy Davide: shut up! Broken collarbone, small concussion and a very bruised knee. They keep him in the hospital overnight. 

Logic: Thank you, Remy. 

Remy Davide: don’t talk about it. Seriously don’t. 

Logic: Good luck at beauty school.

Remy Davide: Thanks Logic :)

Logan let out a sigh and pocketed his phone. The party was on it’s last legs and he had managed to sneak out an hour ago, after three hours of not getting any message from Remy, about Patton. Now, after finally knowing more about his boyfriend’s condition, he was just aimlessly walking around. Well, not entirely aimless. He had gone to the park to check if his hypothesis was correct, as a gnawing feeling in his stomach told him that there was a big probability that he was indirectly responsible for the accident. Something about the way Patton had told Remy that he would ‘feed the ducks’ struck him as odd, as nobody would even think about doing something as arbitrary as feeding ducks in that weather, until he realized something. And there it was, a soaked wooden duck, near the duck pond. 

He knew the rules stated that he now had to wait for an hour, before he could move it, but he was the one who had made the rules, so he didn’t really care. He grabbed it and headed back to his car. He would go back to his empty dorm room, but before he could start the engine he got a call. Normally he wouldn’t be too bothered about being on the phone while driving, but the weather was still bad, and he didn’t want to end up with Patton in the hospital... well he did, but not because he was injured himself. 

Logan looked at his phone. He didn’t recognize the number, but the digits told him that it did come from the neighborhood. 

“Salutations, this is Logan Mitchell. Who am I speaking with?” 

“Good evening Mister Mitchell. You’re speaking with Ann Adams from Side Sight Opticians.” A cheerful women’s voice spoke to him from the other side of the line. “I’m calling to say that your new glasses have arrived.” Logan had completely forgotten about his opticians appointment.

“This is a peculiar time for a call like this.” Logan’s watch telling him it was 8 pm already. 

“I’m sorry sir, we had some trouble with the delivery, due to the storm. Your glasses will be ready for pick up tomorrow.” The poor girl probably had to call many clients so she wouldn’t have angry costumers, but she still sounded so kind and genuine. 

“Thank you.” The line remained quiet a little too long, before Logan decided to cut the conversation short. “Good evening ma’am.” 

“Good evening!” She sounded happy that the conversation was over and that Logan hadn’t gotten anry, this probably being one of the last calls she had to make before going home to her family... No Logan you can’t just presume she has a family to come home to tonight, just so you can be bitter about not having one. That’s illogical. 

The drive back to campus was less strenuous now that the storm had started to calm down. The hallway’s were deserted as usual during the holidays, but now they felt like they weren’t only deprived of people, but of oxygen as well. Logan didn’t know how quickly he had to get into his room, not that it was much better, but at least here he could breathe. Logan had no idea what he felt, this day having drained him to the point that he could no longer think clearly. He eventually fell into a restless sleep his mind constantly on Patton and how to prevent something like this in the future. 

It would be the next morning, while Logan was driving into town to collect his new glasses, when Logan finally knew what to do. But to do that Patton had to somehow come with him.


	18. Don’t make a big spectacle out of this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An update? What?! 
> 
> Recently I lost my motivation to write... anything, but now I’m back writing about two gay men who care for each other... a lot.

“Uhm Lo? Can you maybe slow down a little? I mean if we’re not in a hurry or anything. It’s just, my knee is still recovering and...” Logan who had been walking briskly a few feet ahead of Patton suddenly stopped in his tracks. He had been so excited about his little plan that he had totally forgotten why they were doing this in the first place. Patton had been in an accident during the holidays. An accident that Logan felt partly responsible for. “Lo?” Patton tried again, as slowing down definitely wasn’t the same as stopping completely. Patton was really curious to see what Logan had planned as he seemed excited. Most people probably wouldn’t notice it, but Patton did. He was really good at reading Logan after all.

“My apologies, Patton. We’ll continue our walk in a more appropriate pace.” Now Logan was walking extremely slow and Patton just wouldn’t have it. Sure he was injured, but that didn’t mean that people had to slow down around him! At least not to this tempo! He grabbed Logan’s hand and together they found a middle ground. It took a few seconds for the lovebirds to realize that they were still holding hands and when they did their cheeks sported a soft pink blush. Patton slowly slid his hand out of Logan’s, but Logan wouldn’t have it and kept walking so close to Patton that their hands kept brushing against each other, not going all the way, but still being a comforting presence next to Patton. 

The two walked through the little shopping district as Patton once again stopped in front of the old toy store. Some people had thrown fireworks through the mailbox during New Years, so where there was once a door there was now only a big wooden plank a few shades lighter than the ones on the windows, that had already seen some wear and tear. 

“I heard they’re planning on taking down this shop if they can’t find a buyer anytime soon.” Logan chimed in. He personally thought it was a good idea as the building had just been standing there, decaying, for the longest time, but one glance at Patton told him that wasn’t how Patton was thinking about it. 

“No! They can’t do that! This shop was my childhood!”

“That is impossible Patton, a building cannot be an equivalent to ones childhood. However it is possible that you’ve spent a large amount of your childhood in this building. But-“

“That’s what I’m saying, Lo!” 

“No you stated that this building was-“

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want this building to go! What can we do to stop it from getting demolished?” 

“Buy it.” Logan stated, knowing that was the truth. 

“Very funny” Patton said, but he didn’t laugh. 

“I’m being serious, Patton. Unless they find a buyer within the next few weeks they are going to tear this building down. There’s not much we can do about it.” 

“Not much?” There was hope in Patton’s voice. He really wanted to save the store he loved so much. 

“Well...” Logan hesitated. “I could ask my father to delay the demolition, but I highly doubt he’ll listen to me. We haven’t exactly been on good terms lately.”

“Yeah... sorry about that.” 

“Don’t apologize, Patton. This all is hardly your fault.”

“But it is! If your father had never seen us kiss then-“

“Then we would have probably had a falling out about something else. Believe me, I’ve never had a good relationship with him... or with my mother... and you helped me realize that it wasn’t my fault. So now I’m trying to do the same for you. Me fighting with my dad, even if the topic of our fight is you, is not your fault, Patton.”

“I’m still not so sure about that...” 

“What you should be sorry for is driving in a storm, while you already have impaired vision.”

“I do not...”

“Patton.” Logan sighed, while pushing the glasses He recently got further up his nose. “When was the last time you got your eyes checked by a professional?” 

“Uhm... when everyone got those little eye test game thingies in primary school.” 

“And your vision was fine back then?” 

“Yup!” 

“Has your vision deteriorated since?”

“Maybe a little... but I tend not to make a big SPECTACLE out of it. My vision is fine.” Logan put his arm in front of Patton to stop the other from walking. He was sure to keep his arm low so he wouldn’t accidentally touch Patton’s still healing ribs. 

“You see that green car over there?”

“Uhm... yeah? Wha-“

“I want you to read the license plate for me.” Patton remained quiet. “Pat?” 

“I can’t, okay?!” “I want to, but I can’t!” 

“Patton, if you can’t read that from here... you’re not even allowed to drive, without something to assist your vision.” Patton slumped into himself further after hearing that. He would say he was fine and that he could definitely still drive, but his heavily damaged car was a dead giveaway that maybe he wasn’t. They walked in silence for a while. Logan feeling guilty for making Patton feel bad, but this was something that had to be discussed. Especially with the thing he wanted to give to Patton in mind. 

Before long, the two reached, what Logan knew to be, their destination. “Side Sight Opticians.” Patton read out loud, when the two reached the storefront. “Kinda ironic that I can still read that.” He giggled.

“We’re going in.” Logan stated, grabbing for Patton’s hand again. But Patton pulled his hand back quickly.

“Why? Something wrong with your new glasses?” Patton’s giggles turned nervous. Logan was going in there for himself right? Not for Patton... Patton couldn’t afford that right now and his parents shouldn’t have to give him any more money, after they had already offered to help him buy a new car! 

“Patton, please. I want you to get your eyes tested.” 

“Logan, I...” Patton hesitated for a second. His head hung low as he continued. “I can’t afford that...” Patton’s face was pink, hating to admit that he wasn’t as financially stable as he would like to be. 

“Well, it probably won’t take too long, before I won’t be able to do so myself. I have already heard my dad talk about freezing my accounts until I ‘come to my senses and stop this rebellious fling’” Logan huffed. “So we better do this quickly.”

It took Patton a few seconds to process what Logan meant by that, but when he did he immediately started protesting. “No, Logan, you can’t do that! If your dad is gonna take back your money then you should spend it on yourself! On something you love!” 

“I am spending it on something I love, Patton.” 

“Logan? Did you just imply that you love me?” Patton squealed.

“Perhaps, you are my boyfriend after all. Now, please Patton, let me pay for the eye test and your first pair of glasses.” 

“They wouldn’t be my first glasses...” Patton mumbled, avoiding Logan’s eyes so the other couldn’t see the sparkle of mischief in his own.

“I don’t understand, you just told me-“

“I’ve worn glasses before,” Patton started giggling. “Sunglasses, Logan. I’ve worn sunglasses! I am my father’s only son after all. 

“That... was that supposed to be a joke?”

“Do you still have to ask?” Patton winked and Logan’s once frozen heart melted for what must have been the millionth time since he had met the man in front of him. 

“I suppose not.” Logan really wanted to kiss Patton right then and there, but he knew that everything had a time and place, and this wasn’t it. Instead he dragged Patton with him into the opticians store.


End file.
